Product planning at TRATON is diverse and challenging: we shape the future of our vehicles and their associated components. In concrete terms, this involves capturing customer requirements, contextualizing them within the overall vehicle, and developing technology roadmaps based on these insights. The exciting challenge lies in adopting a comprehensive 360-degree perspective, integrating all cross-functional elements.
.jpg "Greetings from Soedertaelje, Ronny Richter")
Our roadmaps not only address customer demands but also anticipate future regulatory requirements, assess available technologies, and incorporate implementation commitments across all specialist areas. Furthermore, these roadmaps and development projects must be strategically prioritized across TRATON’s brands and technological domains to deliver the best outcomes for the Group. Selected topics are then transitioned from the roadmaps into the product development process.
My team and I are responsible for the EE/software domains within the Group, encompassing areas such as driver assistance systems, EE architectures, and the digital driver workplace.
The standardization of our EE architecture is currently an exciting focus for us. This involves harmonizing control units and their associated software, akin to the relationship between our personal laptops and their operating systems, such as Windows. Historically, we’ve used different architectures across our brands, which complicates the development of new functionalities (for instance, a new driver assistance system) due to the varied systems.
Moving forward, we aim to simplify and unify this process with TEESA, our new EE architecture. This change will enable us to introduce functionalities across all brands more efficiently, reducing development complexity. Same need, identical solution. Comparable to PowerPoint, which can be run on different PCs, laptops and operating systems. Standardizing our architecture will enhance our competitive edge by delivering more functionality at lower costs, allowing us to respond faster and more effectively to market demands.
Always developing the best solutions for our customers requires simplifying, accelerating, and making processes within TRATON more cost-effective in future. Achieving this necessitates striving for joint solutions, utilizing appropriate digital tools and software, and leveraging the support and knowledge of all teams. Above all, direct personal dialogue is crucial, as it is people who bring projects to life. This collaborative approach forms the basis for pooling and effectively coordinating existing resources within the TRATON GROUP.
On an international level, I witness daily the importance of considering and integrating diverse cultural and brand-specific perspectives into our planning. My team and I continually realize that diversity is what makes the TRATON GROUP strong and fit for the future. Through our work in product planning, we act as multipliers, driving and positively shaping the nature and intensity of cross-brand collaboration at TRATON. Our decisions will have a lasting impact on the TRATON GROUP in the future.
.jpg "Greetings From Soedertaelje Ronny Richter Family")
For my current job, I moved to Sweden with my wife and our two little boys. The Swedes have been very friendly and welcoming. The TRATON office in Södertälje is staffed by people from many different countries, which makes working together very rewarding. However, my Swedish is not yet very advanced, and I’m behind schedule. My two children are a big step ahead of me thanks to the Swedish kindergarten. Although we’ve only been in Sweden as a family for a few months, it feels like we’ve been here much, much longer. This is a good feeling and a good sign!
.jpg "Greetings From Soedertaelje Ronny Richter Family 2")
Overall, I’m very grateful that I’ve been given the opportunity to work for TRATON in Sweden. TRATON offers numerous opportunities to experience different work methods and embrace new challenges. Personally, and as a family, we will benefit from this for a long time to come.
I’ve registered for next year's Vätternrundan, a cycling race that is part of the Swedish Classic and encircles Sweden’s largest lake during Midsummer. As an avid mountain biker and competitive cyclist, I’m excited about the challenge of completing a 300-kilometer ride in one stretch. During the dark winter months, we plan to take advantage of the nearby ski slopes in Flottsbro, south of Stockholm, and visit the many child-friendly museums in the area of Stockholm.
Greetings from Sweden,
Ronny
