Industrial prototyping in the German automotive industry: bridging the gap between physical and virtual prototypes

The automotive industry is undergoing a profound transformation characterized by the transition from hardware-centric to software-driven vehicles. This results in a variety of challenges, such as the increasing complexity of components, shortened development cycles, and evolving regulatory requirements that need to be met. In this context, our article explores the impact of UNECE regulations R.155 and R.156 on the technical prototyping phase in the development of mechatronic systems. Furthermore, we use the findings as an objective and examine the implications for the current landscape of prototyping research. Using a comprehensive case study in the German automotive industry with four OEMs, we investigate the current state of prototyping in the German automotive industry. Our analysis shows that although previous research suggests prototyping processes, they reach their limits in complex systems and cannot cope with the challenges of the industry. At the center of the conclusions is the need to develop a prototyping framework that includes a taxonomy of projects and forms the basis for a testing strategy to shorten time-to-market. As part of this, we propose the introduction of the novel term "phygital prototype" to bridge the gap between physical and virtual prototypes. Furthermore, we argue that product compliance should not only be integrated methodically but also propose concrete procedural steps within the prototyping framework.