Artificial Intelligence Association Selects North American Base for Catena-X, Strengthening Data Partnership Across Region
The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) has been selected as the official North American hub for Catena-X, a groundbreaking digital infrastructure designed for standardized, secure, and open data collaboration across the automotive value chain.
The announcement was made at the Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Digital Strategies North America conference, with Jacobson, a Catena-X board member and IBM executive, highlighting the perfect fit of AIAG for North America. The partnership between AIAG and Catena-X, which began with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in late 2024, has now evolved into a formal agreement.
The Catena-X initiative was launched in Germany in 2021, backed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and the German Association of the Automotive Industry. Today, it boasts over 190 member companies, including OEMs, Tier-N suppliers, and IT providers.
With AIAG as the official North American hub, companies in the US, Canada, and Mexico can now participate in and influence the global Catena-X ecosystem. This partnership will enable unprecedented transparency and visibility while retaining full data control for all member companies.
One of the key benefits of Catena-X is its ability to facilitate data collaboration across entire supply networks, regardless of platform or IT provider. This interoperability was demonstrated in a recent pilot conducted by Ford Motor Company and FlexAutomotive, where data flowed seamlessly between Ford, Flex, and additional suppliers, despite the use of different systems.
The Catena-X use case library includes a variety of applications, such as auditable product carbon footprint tracking, end-to-end traceability of parts and materials for recalls and compliance, real-time collaborative quality management, and a "battery passport" for electric vehicles.
Dr Bing Xu, senior director of the Catena-X North America Hub at the AIAG, emphasised the importance of this regional expansion, stating, "Existing systems cannot work for today's situation, but Catena-X can solve the problem, get rid of the silos, and ensure secure data transactions."
Oliver Ganser, chairman of the Catena-X board, also emphasised the significance of the partnership, stating, "We are just starting, and we expect to do a lot more with more companies and solution providers."
The expansion of Catena-X aims to reduce costs and drive sustainable practices across the value chain. In one example, the emissions estimate dropped from approximately 7kg of CO2 to just 1kg when primary data from a sub-tier supplier was shared using the Catena-X architecture.
The partnership between AIAG and Catena-X is set to revolutionise the automotive industry, providing a secure, standardised, and open platform for data collaboration that will drive innovation, efficiency, and sustainability.
