What role does teamwork play in AVL’s success in China?
Prof. Helmut List’s leadership style is a role model for all of
us in this respect. AVL is one big family. Chinese culture fits
in very well with that. Loyalty is very important here. At AVL,
employees have the opportunity to grow and contribute to
a better world. When someone joins our company, we hope
that they will spend their entire career with us, if possible. For
sure, we support our people if they want to change. AVL is
large and diverse enough that this is also possible within the
company in most cases.
There is a special bond between AVL and China. Where does
that come from?
The relationship with China is even older than AVL itself.
From 1926 to 1932, AVL’s founder Hans List was a professor
at Tongji University. His memory is cherished here in China
to this day. You can still visit a museum at Tongji University
with many wonderful photos and even some old dynometers
he used in his research while in China. His textbooks have
been translated into Chinese. And everyone who studies
automotive engineering here knows about the achievements
of Prof. Hans List, as well as the contributions AVL has made
to the Chinese automotive sector under the guidance of Prof.
Helmut List.
As someone who has known the Chinese automotive in-
dustry for many years, what do you consider to be the most
remarkable developments?
When I first came to China, there were very few cars on
the streets. Everyone rode bicycles. Starting in 2000, that
changed dramatically. The government had decided to build
a competitive automotive industry. Many foreign companies
came in and invested. The market took off and there was a
lot of work for AVL. In 2010, the next paradigm shift followed:
the political decision-makers in China realized that they
were unable to quickly close the gap between them and the
Europeans, Japanese, and Americans in terms of traditional
internal combustion engines, so they focused their invest-
ment priorities and industrial policy on electrification, ADAS/
AD, and fuel cell applications. All activities in this direction are
strongly supported by the Chinese government at national
and local level. At AVL, we anticipated this and positioned
ourselves accordingly through our global network of technol-
ogy development centers – with testbeds for e-axles, battery
development, fuel cell research capabilities, and so on.
What do you consider to be the biggest difference between
China and other markets, and what do you derive from this
for AVL?
The Chinese market is characterized by competition. If you
are successful with a product or a solution, there are im-
mediately ten other providers who want to do it better. The
competition is endless, and the Chinese people work incredi-
bly hard to be successful. Today, a great many technological
innovations come from China and the country has taken
over the market leadership in many areas – for example,
BEVs and software-defined vehicles. For AVL, this means
finding the right access points to make a difference. Fast
and cost-effective solutions – from all our strategic business
units. Our Chinese customers are always on the hunt for
innovations.
How important are the values of AVL for its success?
Our values are a good basis for succeeding in any market. Pio-
neering spirit, innovative strength, passion, independence, and,
above all, reliability: If we tell a customer that we can solve an
important problem, we solve it. Where I think we can do even
better is in the speed with which we complete tasks. Industry
development cycles are getting shorter and shorter – espe-
cially here in China. We have to keep up with that.
What excites you most about the future of AVL and the auto-
motive industry as a whole?
The acceleration of technological change has always fasci-
nated me. Quantum computers and AI will continue to drive
this trend. Our minds have to adapt to this pace. I am curious
to see where we will be in autonomous driving in ten years’
time. I am very confident that it won’t be long before we are
no longer driving our cars ourselves. From AVL’s point of
view, it is important to have the right people in house to face
these new challenges and to manage the transformation.
From the position of AVL China, where we have worked with
hundreds of customers, it is always exciting to support new
organizations and to interact with young entrepreneurs and
engineers with new mindsets and visions for the future. And,
of course, we continue to play an important role in resolving
climate-change-related issues. What we do matters, and we
can wake up energized each morning knowing that we are
finding solutions and not creating new problems for mankind.
What advice do you have for young people just starting at
AVL?
Be flexible and open to new challenges. Work hard, it will pay
off. AVL is a great place to be employed, because we are an
organization where individuals can build successful careers
and make a difference. At AVL, talented people have a real and
rare chance to create and realize their dreams and ambitions.
This is one of the main reasons why young people join AVL
and stay here for decades.
“The relationship with China
is even older than AVL itself.
From 1926 to 1932, AVL
founder Hans List was a
professor at Tongji University.
His memory is cherished here
in China to this day.”
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