By Simon Ng, Partner Sales Director, Customer Role Experience, Dassault Systèmes
The automotive industry is undergoing a global disruption as electric, hybrid, and autonomous vehicles are progressively replacing internal combustion engine vehicles. In 2021, 6.7 million electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for 8.3% of global vehicle sales, a number that increased to 10.5 million, or 14% of all sales, in 2022. By 2032, EV sales are forecasted to hit 54 million units, representing a CAGR growth of 16% from 2022.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Malaysia is positioning itself at the forefront of the EV revolution, leveraging its strengths in automotive production, semiconductors, and electronics, alongside significant investments in software skills.
With 27 manufacturers and over 640 component makers, supported by strong electronics and semiconductor supply chains, Malaysia’s automotive industry is well-prepared for this shift. The nation has Southeast Asia’s third-largest auto industry, capable of producing 500,000 vehicles annually and employing a 700,000-strong workforce across its nationwide ecosystem.
The current challenge is upskilling the workforce for the increasingly software-driven EV production supply chain. The Malaysian government envisions developing a complete ecosystem for EVs, with upskilling being crucial to achieving this goal.
In Malaysia’s local market, BEV sales skyrocketed to 2,600 units in 2022 from 274 in 2021, a nearly 800% increase, highlighting the country’s accelerating shift towards electric mobility. The New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) aims to elevate manufacturing value to RM587 billion by 2030, with EVs playing a crucial role in this growth.
EVs are central to the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry’s sustainability and net zero emissions objectives, supporting the National Energy Transition Roadmap towards 2050 and broader adoption of the Industry-ESG framework.
Recognizing EVs as a significant sector for high value innovation, the NIMP and the government are boosting investments in educational initiatives, focusing on TVET and STEM, to upskill the workforce for the evolving ecosystem.
Additionally, substantial tax incentives are being provided to facilitate the development and adoption of EV technology.
Software skills are central to the EV strategy
Companies in Malaysia are rethinking their design engineering approaches to tap the EV market, with software playing a crucial role in the supply chain. This shift requires the adoption of integrated collaboration and open software innovation platforms, in line with Malaysia’s National Automotive Policy.
Such platforms are essential for developing standards for next-generation automobiles, electrification, new energy solutions, and autonomous driving innovations. A government-led, coordinated skill development effort involving the industry, educational institutions, and startups is vital. Adopting this software-centric approach is expected to significantly reduce lead times by 30%, design change requests by 40%, and development costs by 40%.
The 3DEXPERIENCE platform: A cornerstone in EV manufacturing processes
Dassault Systèmes offers end-to-end solutions for the EV supply chain that leverage virtual twin technologies for managing the complete EV product lifecycle, including crucial components such as its batteries. It integrates data across EV development stages, reducing effort and saving costs.
Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform facilitates seamless collaboration and innovation in EV manufacturing, from project planning to production. It ensures precise design intent capture and data interoperability with the OEM producing the vehicle.
Additionally, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform guarantees the 3D assembly design accurately represents the final product and that the bill of materials is precise. It helps in ensuring that drawings and documentation lead to accurate costing. Its simulation capabilities are instrumental in testing and enhancing EV performance. For assembly instructions, seamless collaboration shortens lead times and boosts productivity.
When it comes to additive and subtractive manufacturing for producing EVs, Dassault Systèmes’ end-to-end solutions accelerate prototyping, thereby shortening the time to market. Integrated data and a unified source of truth simplify revision control, minimize errors, and ensure seamless integration of enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions.
With advanced visualization capabilities employing augmented reality and virtual reality, Dassault Systèmes enhances manufacturing processes through seamless collaboration. These capabilities also support business development and marketing efforts by providing accurate visual renderings of prototypes.
Upskilling Malaysia’s workforce for the EV future
Dassault Systèmes supports Malaysia’s competition in the EV market and workforce upskilling through select education programs. Its “Skills of the Future” program shapes the Technical and Vocational Education and Training sector’s curriculum, offers student internships for hands-on EV skills, and conducts on-campus talks and hackathons.
The company’s industry training center allows the Malaysian workforce to conduct live simulations using production software and gain experience on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, accessing a global network interested in similar fields. Additionally, at Dassault Systèmes’ Experience Centers, workers can learn about electric drive development, electric connected autonomous vehicle systems, and sustainable mobility with zero emissions using niche software.
In partnership with Malaysian government agencies like Malaysian Institute of Microelectronic Systems and the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dassault Systèmes aids small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in upgrading their value chain with Digitized Design To Manufacturing capabilities.
Collaborations with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority; Collaborative Research in Engineering, Science and Technology Centre; and Dassault Systèmes aim to assist SMEs in transitioning to Industry 4.0 and enhancing cloud-based collaboration with leading ERP solutions.
These ERP solutions, underpinned by Dassault Systèmes’ virtual twin technologies and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, including its computer-aided design software and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, are crucial for high-level manufacturing like EVs.
Knowledge transfer partnerships, such as with the Selangor Technical Development Corporation (STDC), offer training in virtual twin technologies, focusing on the automotive sector and are open to all Malaysians.
Dassault Systèmes’ virtual twin technologies enable Malaysia to ascend from low-cost production to high-value innovation.
With its existing automotive and electronics industry supply chains and government initiatives, Malaysia is well-positioned for the EV era. Dassault Systèmes’ solutions, provided free or subsidized by the government, help upskill the workforce, empower startups, and facilitate the adoption of Industry 4.0 standards through virtual twin technologies.