Chinese brands are 'quicker than the Europeans,' Schaeffler exec says

The head of Schaeffler's automotive business, Matthias Zink, is impressed by how quickly China's domestic brands are improving. When it comes to electric vehicles and software, he thinks the Chinese are even quicker than their European rivals. Zink, who has led the German supplier's auto unit since 2017, believes that Schaeffler's work with Chinese brands in their home market will be beneficial as they expand aboard. He also sees the pros and cons when using artificial intelligence in production. He discussed these topics and more when he met with Automotive News Europe Correspondent Nathan Eddy during the IAA Mobility show in Munich in September. The conversation took place before the auto unit's parent company announced plans to buy EV component maker Vitesco.