Daimler was the first OEM with its own presence at the Korea Electronics Show (KES) fair and its supplier scouts were establishing direct contact with trendsetters in consumer electronics.
The four day electronics and IT show is as important for Korea as the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is for the US. Six scouts fanned out to see innovative start up ideas and also meet established players who might supply Mercedes-Benz with high tech components, software and services in the future.
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"We already know today what will be integrated into our vehicles in five years. Therefore we need the right partners. We already have a broad supply base in Korea, and we are open to expand it with new and innovative start ups," said Klaus Zehender, head of Mercedes-Benz Cars' procurement and supplier quality.
'Innovative' means offering the customer true added value with new functions in top quality. The company has already partnered with Korean suppliers such as LG Electronics for onboard displays and Navis Automotive Systems for navigation software. Components such as battery cells for electric vehicles and steel are also bought from Korean suppliers.
At KES, supplier scouts chatted with the start up Geo-Line, founded by Sunggyoo Geo three years ago. Their product PLUG&PAY, an electric vehicle mobile charging and payment product might give them an opportunity to possibly work together with the automaker.
Daimler said suppliers from the consumer electronics sector are becoming more and more important and unites these trends within its CASE strategy. Networking (Connected), Autonomous Driving (Autonomous), Flexible Use (Shared & Services) and Electric Drive Systems (Electric) will change the mobility of the future and therefore the requirements for suppliers.
