Technology,Automation is an opportunity for Automotive Sector for being ( Dakshata se Saskshta KiAur) from being dexterous(Expert) towards becoming Self Sustainable .

Technology has the power to turn around the basic foundation of doing business. There is hardly any sector which is not impacted by these changes like mobile, internet, drones, machines etc.At the outset automation technologies including artificial intelligence and robotics will generate benefits for automobile sectors and by lifting productivity and improving operational efficiencies. As per the general view and assessment only 2/3 of the occupation in automotive sector have 1/3 percent of specific jobs which could be automated (as most of the manufacturing areas are automated or run through robotics, PLC based machines or logic controls). In the economies like India where the wage rate is manageable due to higher young population or availability of plenty of labour the automation may not be making economic sense in all areas so as to compare to the economies where labour cost is high. Especially in India where in auto sector the automation will take place with speed the organisations will have to prepare their workforce ready to meet those challenges. Key challenges will be:

• Redundancy of the skill required in view of automation and technological integration
• Gaps for digital as a competency required to meet the digitization within the organization
• The review of their talent strategy to induct people with new normal competencies required to meet automation and technology as a challenge
• Change in the training and capability building interventions in view of the above changes
• Quick investments and adaption of the automations and technological integration of all the processes with collaborative leadership and Collaborative learning environment for speed and Agility.
• Clustering of small and medium ancillaries or Vendors in Automotive Sectors.

The organisation may require adaptation for higher or different skill levels required in the workforce to supervise the jobs being performed by robotics, drones and Bots through machine learning. Advance cognitive capabilities and skills will be required which cannot be automated. The cost of acquiring specialised skilled workforce will be high which may impact percentage of labour cost to the total revenue ratio. The number of fixed term employees will go high as during transition period from low cost automation phase to advanced automation phase the small and medium enterprises may hesitate in investing or increase in fixed cost due to the risk of lesser returns vis-à-vis investments. The bigger players Leaders with higher volumes have cash surplus and have an advantage to invest in technology and automation of getting better quality products, improve in productivity and overall operational efficiencies in the different functions of the organizations. This is in general the view that it will take minimum 10 to 12 years of time where AI and robotics will replace some percentage of jobs at the same time it will create higher skilled jobs or jobs requiring advanced capabilities.

With the advent of technology or automation the future is of connect cars, autonomous cars, use of BOT’s, robotics, machine learning tools to replace all monotonous jobs being performed like inquiry generations in sales, customer relations, customer interaction jobs, data capturing and conversion into algorithm for management decision point. Also, the routine, repetitive, unsafe(dangerous) and dirty jobs can be done through automation, robots or BOT’s through machine learning.

There is a positive outlook for GDP growth trends in India with sufficient economic growth innovation and investments in India. There would be enough job creations to offset the impact of Automation in India more so due to the higher young population in India the availability of labour workforce should not be a problem. As Compare to the Countries like japan where average age is Higher and younger workforce entering the workforce arena  is less. The main focus has to be put by the corporates in association with state and Central government for skill upgradation to new higher or different skills required due to automation, Robotization & digitization where gaps can be foreseen and expected with advent of technology and automation.

In Automotive sectors in India with stringent global norms of environment and recall penalties

• The organization has to produce the precision quality of Global standards and for Sustainable business,automation would be must to be Adapted with speed and agility.

The benefits will be immense if we review from the long-termperspective.

• Higher Wage cost for Different or higher Skills required due to automation but will be offset with Higher productivity and operational efficiencies.
• Better GDP growth in India due to improvement in economy in years to come due to more skilled young population workforce availability in India.
• India will be the skilled and Competent workforce factory for the global companies.
• India can lead the global movement and automation and technology integration in Automotive Sector can act as and engine or Catalyst for growth of Indian economy.

How it is going to be different For the Human resource leaders of the Automotive sectors

They will have to revisit their talent strategy of acquiring the talent with different Skills and also change their development Strategy for Capability building with speed and agility and fastest learning interventions through collaborative learning methodology.

For the transition from the present level of skills of their talent to future needs

Approaches have to be for Succeeding in this transition.

Company with 3S-  skill scale and scalability with speed and agility.

 Talent induction with 3a’s –    Aware,Adaptable, Aptitude for change.

With concept of E-GuruKool -for fast flexible and First movers in the field of real-time dynamic learning environment required due to speed in automation and technological integration of processes.

 HR with approach of 3R- Receptive,Review and Respond to the Change they have to be Change champions as it would be critical for the organization to respond to the Drivers of the Success Fast by leveraging intelligence of your workforce and Broader business ecosystem.

Collaborative leadership would be Required in these organization who can collaborate with their customers will have big advantage over traditional plan and push businesses model.

Collaborative learning environment for fastest learnings to be Cascaded across the organization with use of technology and better cognitive ability of the learners

Our preparedness in all the Suzuki group companies is in full as we have already have automations and Robotics in our manufacturing facilities and not only that we are have done IT integration of the most of our processes, we have a comprehensive learning and development framework with 70:20:10 Methodology. 70% on the job learning, 20% through projects and seminars and experiential learnings and 10% through classroom training that to we have advanced training academy in our group company Maruti Suzuki India Limited where simulation based trainings are imparted with dexterity shops, web studio can telecast learnings through web classrooms, web based learning which can impart trainingup to 10k trainees across different states in India or abroad to all our Network partners, boundaryless and anytime 24X7 learning if needed.E-learning modules are available which can be disseminated through Mobile app base learning as well through Webex.

VUCA world can be well dealt with IDIOTS as VUCA stands for volatile, uncertain, complex and Ambiguous in business we can counter with Talent Strategy called – IDIOTS – Induct Right talent, develop them Right, institutionalize them RIGHT,offer them Right Value (Career),Treat Them Right and Sync and improve the people processes Rightly for business Sustainability.

So, we consider the automation,Robotics, BOTS and IT integration Use of technology as an opportunity, which once captured and well perceived can bring in gains not for Automotive Sectors but the sector can act as an Engine for the growth of Indian economy. More so the through Machine learnings BOTS will start taking up more creative and challenging Jobs.

Varinder Kumar Verma

Vice-President- HR

Suzuki Motorcycle India Private limited.