Objective Introduce key players in the automotive supply chain to the concepts and benefits of advanced communications and collaborative-working technologies.Facilitate and promote virtual Teamworking across the extended enterprise covering automotive manufacturers, 2nd and 3rd suppliers and SMEsProvide a heterogeneous network solution based both on broadband and narrowband communications addressing the needs of large companies as well as SMEsProvide an open and heterogeneous application platform from high-cost high-performance workstation to low-cost PC thus meeting the needs of large companies as well as SMEsSetup three Regional Centers one each in the UK, Italy and Ireland to provide on-going support to SMEs in communications and multimedia technologiesImprove the business process thereby reducing time to marketInvestigate the impact on cultural and organisational issues including attitudes, working practices, management commitment and support and future roll-out planWork to date has reinforced the view that project TEAM offers great potential benefits to the European automotive industry in the areas of Virtual Teamworking across the whole supply chainHigh level of user satisfaction on applications & quality of serviceA set of results based both on ATM-WAN & Euro-ISDN trialsEconomic Assessment of broadband trials & justification of evolution path to ATMFeedback from SMEs on applications & services, and their future implementation strategyResults of investigation into impact on organisation & working practices.Expected ImpactWorld class automotive manufacturing is currently based on the team-working philosophies developed and proved by the Japanese in the 1980's. This approach involves creating multi-functional teams, empowering the "facts holders" giving them total authority for decision making, and the co-location of teams for high personal motivation.Project TEAM proposes to preserve this "best practice", but eliminate the necessity for co-location thus enabling manufacturers to utilise European suppliers, SMEs and consultancy expertise irrespective of geographical constraints.Main contributions to the programme objectives:Main deliverablesEstablished a Common VIEW Model to facilitate & promote virtual Teamworking across the extended enterprise covering Automotive manufacturers, 2nd & 3rd tier suppliers and SMEs. Developed and trialled an application profile (including Product Library, Decision Support, Multimedia Conferencing and Messaging) and user interface. The network and applications platform were heterogeneous, based on both broadband and narrowband communications, from high performance workstation to low-cost PC, thus addressing the needs of large companies as well as SMEs.Contribution to the programmeIntroduced key players in the automotive industry supply chain to the concepts and benefits of advanced communications and collaborative working technologies. By eliminating the need for co-location , will enable manufacturers to use European suppliers, SMEs and consultancy expertise irrespective of geographical constraints.Technical ApproachThe Project has developed an initial Common View Model which reflects the aspirations of users in terms of communications, applications and organisational needs.The communication requirements for TEAM applications have been specified to ensure affordable networks offering a good cost/benefit ratio and at the same time respecting bandwith and quality of service requirements. The network design and implementation are to match the latest outputs from standard bodies including ITU-T, ISO, ATM Forum and IETF. As part of the user requirements, special attention is being given to security and confidentiality issues. Collaboration with local National Hosts forms an integral part of the evaluation strategy.The TEAM application profile (including Product Library, Decision Support, Multimedia Conferencing and Multimedia Messaging) and user interface are being developed taking into account current and emerging technologies e.g. Netscape 3, WWW, HTML, VRML and different viewing and conversion tools.Summary of TrialThe project has planned a series of field trials, to be conducted with real users, at several locations in the UK, Italy and Ireland.TEAM has two sets of user trials:Initial evaluation, of three months, started concurrently in mid 1996 at all sitesIterative evaluation, to be conducted at 11 sites in UK, Italy and Ireland, started in March 1997 and continues till the end of the project. In addition to continued user evaluation, the iterative evaluation includes a series of demonstrations to component suppliers, SMEs and senior management of the user partners. Necessary collaboration will be maintained with the local PNOs and National Hosts during trials. The trials include the measurement of critical performance parameters such as quality of service; response time; bandwidth requirements for different applications, individually and collectively; and impact on business processes, cultural and organisational changes. The user trials are planned to be based on a mixture of ATM and ISDN technologies.Key IssuesRealisation of a heterogeneous communication infrastructure incorporating public ATM, public SMDS and public ISDN networksInter-operability between the TEAM-net and existing networks of the user partners including Ethernet and Token Ring LANsExploration of different hardware and software options to realise a secure networkContinued assessment of applications and adoption of "best in class" software tools for the final demonstratorDevelopment of business case including costs and benefits analysis and justification for roll-out into businessContinued development and population of Product Libraries in formats acceptable to end users. Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwareengineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringautomotive engineeringhumanitiesphilosophy, ethics and religionphilosophy Programme(s) FP4-ACTS - Specific programme of research, technological development and demonstration in the area of advanced communications technologies and services, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 1 - Multimedia services Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Rover Group EU contribution No data Address Building 117 Gaydon United Kingdom See on map Total cost No data Participants (13) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Computervision United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address See on map Total cost No data Fiat Italy EU contribution No data Address See on map Total cost No data France Télécom Expertel France EU contribution No data Address 25 rue des Jeuneurs 75002 Paris See on map Total cost No data Fraunhofer IGD Germany EU contribution No data Address See on map Total cost No data Key Plastics United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address See on map Total cost No data Loughborough University of Technology United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address The Elms Elm Grove LE11 1RG Loughborough See on map Total cost No data Magneti Marelli SpA Italy EU contribution No data Address Via G. Griziotto 4 20011 Milano See on map Total cost No data SIEMENS AG Germany EU contribution No data Address Wittelsbacher Platz 2 See on map Total cost No data Sligo Regional Technical College Ireland EU contribution No data Address See on map Total cost No data TRW United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI TRENTO Italy EU contribution No data Address TRENTO See on map Total cost No data University of Technology Berlin Germany EU contribution No data Address See on map Total cost No data University of Warwick, WMG United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address See on map Total cost No data