Industry 4.0 Support to Automotive Electrification: Current Challenges and Opportunities

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is a transforming and global phenomenon based on connectivity and improvement of the industrial data usage. I4.0 relies on some technological pillars, such as computer simulation, in order to optimize processes in real time and maximize their efficiency. However, there are uncertainties on how these technologies must be implemented at a strategic, technical, and human capital level. In fact, a gap can be found in scientific literature regarding how different I4.0 technologies will support the automotive electrification process. That said, this paper first provides a comprehensive review of the challenges associated with automotive electrification, which then allows the proposition of a preliminary correlation to I4.0 features, frameworks, and their benefits.