CNH, Microsoft, Accenture collaborate on smart vehicles

Microsoft and Accenture have joined forces with CNH Industrial; parent company of Case IH, CASE Construction, New Holland and IVECO; to aid the company in realising a more connected and smart digital future. 

The key element of the collaboration is the creation of a global network of digital hubs — in Brazil, Europe, India and the U.S. — where the three companies will work together to design, launch and manage digital services that will make the products of CNH Industrial’s brands smarter, more functional, secure and sustainable.

The connected vehicles are expected to provide customers with new services and functionalities in a variety of areas, including computer-aided farming, predictive maintenance, enhanced fleet management and green transportation.

CNH Industrial also plans to develop a broad set of data-driven digital services to help clients drive sustainability, such as yield improvement in agriculture and more-efficient vehicles and improved fleet management in the transportation industry. By complementing its historical product-sales-based business model with new digital-driven services, CNH Industrial intends to achieve significant revenue growth.

Accenture, in collaboration with Avanade - its joint venture with Microsoft- will design, build, test and scale a range of digital services to support new connected products that leverage innovative technologies including advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, the internet of things and cloud computing.

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Accenture will also design, manage and coordinate the activities within the digital hubs; help CNH Industrial define its digital factory operating model; and provide capabilities, assets and skilled resources to help CHN Industrial develop digitally empowered teams across the globe.

A focus will be on practicing speed to value and significantly collapsing the innovation timeline. The work will leverage Accenture’s Industry X Innovation Network of centers that combine startup thinking with rapid prototyping, delivery and ramp-up capabilities to turn ideas quickly into scalable products and solutions.

“We’re excited to be part of this collaboration to help CNH Industrial innovate and realise its digital transformation, which is particularly important at a time when every industry has been deeply affected by the pandemic,” said Accenture senior managing director, Axel Schmidt, who leads its automotive practice globally.

Microsoft, which has been working with CNH Industrial on its digital transformation since 2018, will continue to provide its industry experts, digital advisors and consulting services to develop and create new connected products.

“We’re proud to announce this milestone in our long-term collaboration with CNH Industrial and with our strategic partner Accenture,” said Microsoft Italy global business director of automotive, Marco Giletta.

“In this economic downturn and critical time for the industrial vehicles sector, we partner with CNH Industrial to support the development of an ecosystem of connected services to streamline daily operations of CNH Industrial’s brands’ customers and contribute to the sustainable growth of the industry.

“With the close collaboration among all players, CNH Industrial will have access to the most innovative technological platform and industry skills, as well as the ability to create digital projects, fostering the company’s digital transformation.”

Chief Strategy, Talent, ICT and Digital Officer at CNH Industrial, Andreas Weishaar, said the creation of digital hubs will move CNH Industrial from being a manufacturer of physical products to being able to deliver new digitally born and connected products and services.

“Over the next five years, we’ll team with Accenture and Microsoft in an integrated and agile manner to build and operate these digital factories and to deliver positive impacts for customers and dealers, communities and the environment,” he said.

“We will continue to transform the company culture as we transform our products in parallel, creating tremendous value by empowering our team and integrating our traditional business models with new digital services and making a positive impact on global sustainability.”