Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering
Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering

Catena-X Automotive Network

Alliance for secure and standardized data exchange

The Supply Chain Act and carbon footprint monitoring are just two of the many current challenges facing the automotive industry. They require cross-company data use so that continuous value chains can develop. The Catena-X project is building an ecosystem for the entire automotive sector that is designed to be highly scalable from the outset. The core element of the network is a joint offering of federated data and services that enables companies to shorten the time to market of innovative solutions, use resources more efficiently and increase the transparency and resilience of value creation processes.

The challenge

Consistent data chains are facilitated by uniform standards for the exchange of relevant data. However, trust within the network is also highly relevant for the success of the network. Catena-X follows the Gaia-X specifications and the reference architecture of the International Data Spaces from the outset, so that individual sovereignty for specific data is guaranteed for network participants at all times. The added value of this innovative overall architecture is demonstrated by means of various use cases, e.g. traceability or demand and capacity management.

 

Our contribution 

Fraunhofer ISST brings extensive experience in the use and further development of the basic components of International Data Spaces to the project. These are further developed and industrially hardened in the consortium. In addition, central use cases of Catena-X benefit from successfully piloted pioneer projects for cross-company data exchange in the automotive industry (e.g. with consortium partner Volkswagen). Fraunhofer ISST contributes these findings to the project. Under the leadership of Fraunhofer ISST, the Fraunhofer Institutes IML, IOSB, IPA, IFF and IWU are also significantly involved in the project.

 

Results  

The Catena-X Automotive Network project is creating a collaborative and open data network for the German and European automotive industry. The project represents the first large-scale use of Gaia-X-compliant services in industry 4.0 and is therefore of strategic importance for Germany and Europe.

 

Partners 

  • BASF
  • BMW
  • Bosch
  • Cofinity-X
  • Dräxlmaier
  • Fraunhofer
  • GEC
  • Henkel
  • Mercedes
  • SAP
  • Schaeffler
  • Siemens
  • T-Systems
  • Volkswagen
  • ZF

Internet

 

Funding

  • Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection BMWK
  • Funding reference: 13IK004N
  • Duration: 08/2021-07/2024