The automotive industry faces increasing challenges in managing vehicle lifecycle complexity, including inefficiencies in design, manufacturing, and maintenance. Traditional reactive maintenance approaches often lead to unexpected downtimes, increased costs, and a diminished customer experience. Moreover, rapidly evolving technologies demand agile and adaptive development processes. The Digital Twin concept which involves leveraging advanced technologies to create virtual representations of physical systems offers a promising solution by enabling real-time simulation, prediction, and optimization throughout the vehicle lifecycle.
By bridging the physical and digital realms, Digital Twins provide a powerful tool for improving system efficiency, adaptability, and quality. This paper highlights the tangible benefits of applying Digital Twin principles at the systems engineering level, offering a path toward more resilient, innovative, and customer-centric vehicle systems.
This study explores the integration of Digital Twin technology within a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) framework, focusing on system-level applications. Using the example of a complex feature within Seating Systems, we demonstrate how a Digital Twin can streamline feature development, improve integration across component-level designs, and proactively identify potential issues. The proposed approach aims to reduce development iterations, enhance feature robustness, and improve user experience.