Automotive August 2021

Industry 4.0 and Automotive Industry in Turkey
Industry 4.0, which was first mentioned at the Hannover Fair in
Germany in 2011, includes concepts such as Smart Factory, Internet
of Things (IoT), cloud (Cloud) and big data (Big Data). The Industry 4.0
Revolution, which stands out especially in the manufacturing industry,
aims to achieve output by using high technology at every stage of
production.
Gamze AYTUN Ege University
Regional Development Economics Master’s Program
Such that the basis of the concept of Industry 4.0; It is based on
the communication of all units involved in the industrial production
process with each other, the real-time access to all relevant data, and
the provision of as much added value as possible thanks to these data.
In this context, it is an inevitable fact that developing countries such
as Turkey should turn to industries with intensive technology and
high added value in order to increase their income. The automotive
industry is undoubtedly one of these sectors. In order to adapt to the
developments brought by Industry 4.0, which provides significant
advantages not only in the production but also in the planning and
design stages, the workforce level is tried to be increased, the training
given to the employees shows how to intervene in the machines from
the inside and outside, improvements are made in the infrastructure
of digitalization, both in the sub-industry and in the main R&D studies
are carried out in this direction in the industry.
The automobile market increased by 255.9% in April 2021 compared
to April 2020 and totaled 1,039,810 units. In April 2020, the European
automobile market was 292,153 units. At the end of April 2021, Turkey
ranked 6th in European automobile sales with an increase of 68.7%.
As can be seen in the table, Germany, where the concept of Industry
4.0 first emerged, is the leading country in the automobile industry.
By evaluating its R&D activities, innovation and innovation steps in
the automotive industry, it achieves high value-added outputs and
increases its income.
The use of Industry 4.0 and investments in this area are critical
for Turkey’s growth in line with its 2023 targets. As a matter of
fact, Turkey, which ranks 6th in automobile sales among European
countries, will direct its investments in R&D and technology to
the automotive industry, which has a high demand rate, and if the
production is realized in its own country, it will produce high valueadded
products and will be able to provide the supply-demand
balance. Therefore, there is no doubt that there will be significant
increases in income and welfare.
Original equipment manufacturers operating in the automotive
industry in Turkey are expected to become “Industry 4.0 companies”
in the future. Industry 4.0, which gave its first output as a significant
decrease in the time to market of products in Turkey, promises a lot of
hope for the automotive industry.
Such that the automotive industry affects the economy by creating
a multiplier effect for Turkey, as in many countries. This is why;
digitalization in the industry should be followed closely, more efficient
and customized production should be made. On the other hand, the
number of national R&D centers in the automotive main industry and
sub-industry should be increased and innovation studies should be
emphasized. In this way; It will be ensured that the sector can achieve
sustainable growth in the short and long term.
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