COVID-19 may force auto companies into more automation on shop-floor, says EY

The report further said, "Due to growing apprehensions during the lockdown, workmen are refraining from attending work. Some shop floors have been left deserted. Further, due to large scale migration of labour across India, availability and redeployment of contract labour post lockdown is a major concern."

As contract labour accounts for more than half of India's auto industry's workers, the lockdown could lead to several complexities around supply of contract labour, forcing companies to automate and thereby reducing the reliance on contract labour, it added.

EY India Partner and Automotive Sector Leader Vinay Raghunath said, "In a post COVID-19 world, we do expect continued adherence to social distancing norms. Apart from demand-side variability, the auto sector will continue to face challenges related to non-availability of labor, concerns on health and safety management on the shop-floor."

He further said, "A digital shop-floor with specific interventions on planning and execution will become the new normal. Every player in the auto sector must invest ahead of the curve to achieve greater resilience and develop immunity against the future market uncertainties."

The EY report said auto firms must adopt digital manufacturing technologies to uplift operational efficiencies in all aspects with the current constraints of manpower and resources in the automotive industry.

"Adopting these technologies, along with its modularity and infrastructural backbone in a gradual and phased manner has become imperative in preparation for the next 'Black Swan' event," it said.

The report, however, said although digital adoption on manufacturing shop-floors in India is at a nascent stage, unlike other industries, the automotive shop-floor still leads in the adoption of emerging technologies in India.

A few factories in India are using substantial automation in their production lines -- physical robots, automated guided vehicles, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive maintenance.

"The COVID-19 outbreak would serve as a reminder and would force other automotive players to review their current maturity stages and embark on a journey to transform their operations leveraging digital technologies. New business and operating models will require close integration of both manufacturing and supply chain," it said.