French car maker Groupe Renault is launching a major Industry 4.0 initiative together with Google Cloud. Renault plans to use Google Cloud analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence to help improve manufacturing, supply chain, production, and sustainability. The car maker says it is aiming at the digitisation of its industrial system, and the transformation of its manufacturing processes.

The new partnership with Google will bolster the company’s existing digital transformation plan launched in 2016. Google’s Cloud platform will draw data from 22 group sites worldwide, and over 2,500 machines. This will represent 76 percent of the group’s vehicle production worldwide.

According to Renault, the partnership with Google Cloud aims at optimising its wholly-owned and independently operated industrial data management platform. The company hopes that it will ultimately help the development of new vertical solutions for Renault in the automotive sector. 

Renault and Google will create a new programme to reskill staff at the car maker in Industry 4.0 and data techniques. The training sessions will be carried out by Google, and will focus on Renault’s process engineering, manufacturing and IT teams. The aim is to create a data-driven culture in operational and decision-making processes. 

“This collaboration is a perfect illustration of Groupe Renault’ digital strategy, applied here to the industrial field. This agreement and the commitment of our IT, manufacturing and supply chain management teams will allow us to accelerate the deployment of our Industry 4.0 plan designed to transform and connect our production sites and logistics processes around the world to improve our standards of excellence and performance. This partnership is also an asset for Groupe Renault employees who will benefit from high-level training in digital data management.” said José Vicente de los Mozos, Director of Manufacturing and Logistics, member of Groupe Renault’s Executive Committee. 

“The automotive industry has innovation in its DNA, and there is immense potential for digital technology to have a significant impact on production. We are proud to be partnering with Groupe Renault to help revolutionise the future of automotive manufacturing and power the next generation of supply chain excellence.” added Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud