Fluctuating call-offs
Short-notice changes to OEM call-offs meet long material lead times — planning becomes guesswork.
industries · Automotive & Suppliers
AI for Automotive Suppliers
Suppliers are caught between all fronts: OEMs demand price cuts, audits and complete traceability while volumes fluctuate and the shift to electric mobility calls whole product lines into question. Artificial intelligence (AI) makes this complexity manageable.
The good news: hardly any industry has as much structured data as the automotive supply industry — from CAQ, ERP, MES and EDI. AI turns it into forecasts, automated reports and stable processes instead of letting it age in silos.
We support suppliers from use-case analysis through integration into existing systems to training — with a special focus on quality processes, delivery reliability and the industry's documentation obligations.
challenges
Where the industry gets stuck
Complaints with deadlines
8D reports, Ishikawa, action tracking: every complaint ties up quality engineers for days — under customer deadline pressure.
Audit load and documentation
IATF 16949, CBAM, supply chain act: evidence obligations grow faster than the quality department.
Price pressure with rising costs
Annual savings demands from OEMs meet rising energy and personnel costs — efficiency is mandatory.
use cases
Concrete AI use cases
Six entry points proven in practice — each connected to your existing systems and data.
Demand and call-off forecasts
AI recognises patterns in EDI call-offs and history and forecasts realistic demand — as a corrective to the official preview.
8D report assistant
From defect data, history and actions, the draft 8D report emerges — your quality engineer reviews instead of writing.
Quality data analysis
SPC, inspection and process data are correlated; the AI shows which parameters drive scrap and variation.
Automated supplier communication
Order confirmations, delivery deviations and escalations run as automated workflows with AI text modules.
Audit and evidence documentation
Evidence from several systems is compiled automatically and kept current — audit-ready instead of night shift.
Traceability information
An AI assistant answers batch and serial number enquiries in minutes — across MES, ERP and inspection data.
services
How we support you
AI Consulting
Use-case discovery along your value chain — prioritised by savings, risk and data situation.
AI Integration
Connection to ERP, MES, CAQ and EDI — on premise or in a GDPR-compliant data centre.
Business Analytics
Forecasts, dashboards and KPI models for delivery reliability, quality and cost.
Use funding
For suppliers with a development share, the research allowance is attractive: since 2026, SMEs receive 35% of eligible R&D expenditure — in addition to state programmes such as the SAB digitalisation grant. Nationwide, the Qualifizierungschancengesetz funds further training for your employees with up to 100% of course costs — Sellium is an AZAV-certified training provider.
faq
Frequently asked questions
Which AI application delivers benefit fastest for suppliers?
Often the quality processes: 8D assistance and quality data analysis immediately relieve scarce quality resources and improve the impression with the customer. In parallel, call-off forecasts pay off for scheduling.
Does an AI solution meet the requirements of IATF 16949?
AI does not replace a QM system but fits into its processes: with documented workflows, approval steps and human review. Responsibility stays traceably with your experts.
Our data sits in ERP, MES and CAQ — can that be brought together?
Yes, that is exactly the lever. We connect the systems via interfaces instead of replacing them and bring the data together for analyses and assistants.
How secure are customer and design data?
We work on Privacy First AI: processing fully on premise if desired, clear access concepts, no disclosure to third parties. OEM non-disclosure agreements can be complied with this way.
Is there funding for AI projects at suppliers?
Yes: the research allowance for development projects (SMEs: 35%), in Saxony the SAB digitalisation grant, for training the Qualifizierungschancengesetz. Our funding page offers a quick check.
about sellium
Who is behind this content
This page is created and maintained by Sellium GmbH — a 360° AI agency from Chemnitz. Behind the content is the team around Dr. Christian Lohse, David Kempe, Hendrik Morawetz and Alexander Schuster, who analyse, implement and teach AI projects in mid-sized companies. All information on funding programmes is based on the official sources linked below and is reviewed regularly.
AZAV-certified training provider — selected courses are also AZAV-certified.
- ✓ Privacy First AI: GDPR-compliant, EU AI Act in view
- ✓ 100% data sovereignty possible — on premise or private cloud
- ✓ Based in Chemnitz — personally available across central Germany
Sources for funding information: Sächsische Aufbaubank (opens in a new tab) · Federal Employment Agency (opens in a new tab) · Federal funding database (opens in a new tab)
contact
Let's talk
Happy to help with anything AI. We will get back to you promptly.
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We will get back to you shortly. If it is urgent, you can reach us at +49 371 524 99 140 or contact@sellium.ai.