FEATURE requirements review, cutting review time by 50 per cent. And Toyota’s technology arm, Woven by Toyota, uses Azure OpenAI to build copilots that help developers design, simulate, and deploy autonomous driving capabilities faster and more safely. “These capabilities reduce cognitive load on engineers, allowing them to focus on innovation while improving overall productivity and quality,” adds Chien. Connector manufacturer Harting leverages Azure AI to optimise component selection, enabling faster iteration and smarter design. Robotics provider KUKA embeds Azure AI Foundry models into its robotics platform, allowing non-programmers to instruct robots using natural language, cutting integration time and expanding accessibility. Another real breakthrough comes when cloud PLM and AI converge, to deliver more than the sum of their parts. “Cloud provides a unified data foundation and scalability, enabling AI to automate documentation, generate requirements and simulate product behaviour within the same environment,” says Chien. “Siemens exemplifies this synergy by embedding Azure OpenAI into Teamcenter PLM, allowing natural language interactions that simplify engineering updates and accelerate workflows. Similarly, Continental leverages Azure AI to enhance autonomous systems, enabling rapid simulation, intelligent control and fleet optimisation for next-generation mobile robots and autonomous vehicles.” The business case for this convergence is increasingly clear. “The return on investment is compelling,” says Chien. “Manufacturers adopting shift-left, cloud PLM and AI see measurable gains in speed, cost and quality. Hexagon’s Azure transformation is a great example. Another is Rolls-Royce, which has unified engineering and operational data on Azure to enable predictive maintenance, reducing downtime across its aerospace fleet and delivering significant cost savings.” Industry studies echo these results. Forrester Consulting’s Total Economic Impact study of Teamcenter X shows how Siemens’ PLM Continental uses Microsoft Azure AI to enable fleet optimisation for next-generation autonomous vehicles “ Microsoft provides proactive tools for AI security and regulatory readiness” 140 Photo: Continental AG
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