“The wiring harness of the future will be manufactured differently”

Wiring harnesses remain one of the most challenging vehicle components to manufacture and assemble automatically. Spanning almost the entire vehicle, they connect sensors, actuators and electronic control units while accommodating numerous equipment configurations. Unlike many other automotive manufacturing processes, wiring harness production still relies heavily on manual operations. However, the shift towards zonal electrical/electronic (E/E) architectures offers an opportunity to rethink both harness design and production. Shorter cable runs, smaller modules and standardised interfaces could reduce weight and complexity while making automated manufacturing more viable. For Dr Ole Mende, Head of On-board and Energy Network Development at Audi, the two must be addressed together: “Only if we think about product and production together can we raise the automation of wiring harnesses to an industrial level.”

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How zonal architectures could simplify wiring harness design

The transition towards centralised computing platforms and zonal E/E architectures is reshaping vehicle electrical systems, with significant implications for physical wiring harness design. “With zonal E/E architectures, we can unlock enormous potential for on-board network design,” says Mende. By assigning sensors, actuators, control units and power distribution to defined physical zones, manufacturers can shorten cable runs, reduce weight and packaging requirements, and simplify electrical and mechanical interfaces. Smaller, geographically defined harness modules could also support greater automation in manufacturing and vehicle assembly.

Mende distinguishes between functional and geometric approaches to E/E architecture. While functional architectures build on established domain-based systems, geometric zonal architectures have a more direct impact on the physical wiring harness. Typical zones include the front-left and front-right sections, cockpit and rear vehicle areas. Zone controllers consolidate data communication and potentially power distribution within these areas, connecting to central computing platforms through a high-performance data and power backbone. This physical separation creates opportunities for smaller, more standardised harness assemblies. As Mende emphasises: “Only this consistent implementation makes it possible to fully exploit the stated potentials for the on-board electrical system and wiring harness.”

Why wiring harness automation remains difficult

Despite advances in automotive manufacturing, wiring harness production presents particular challenges. “Wiring harnesses are among the most complex components of a vehicle – and that is precisely what makes automation so challenging,” Mende explains. Unlike rigid parts, cables and wires are flexible and do not retain a fixed shape, complicating automated handling and positioning. Numerous connector configurations, component types and customer-specific variations add further complexity. Inconsistent product and process data across development and manufacturing systems can also limit automation. Mende is therefore realistic about the scope for fully automated production: “We will not be able to automate the complete customer-specific cable set.”

Instead, the focus is shifting towards smaller harness modules with manageable dimensions and clearly defined interfaces. Audi explored this approach through the Next2OEM research project, working with ten industry partners to demonstrate automated production and assembly of a centre console wiring harness module. The project highlighted the importance of developing products and manufacturing systems together. “A central finding was that in future we will need highly flexible assembly systems, consistent end-to-end data structures and, at the same time, simplified product structures,” says Mende. Next2OEM successfully developed and tested initial technical solutions, providing a foundation for further work towards industrial applications.

Has the wire harness finally become robot-ready?

Wire harness production remains one of the most manual areas in automotive manufacturing. Automated pre-assembly, zonal E/E architectures and new product designs are beginning to change that.

Designing wiring harnesses for automated production

One of the central lessons from Next2OEM is that automation cannot be achieved through manufacturing equipment alone. Wiring harnesses must be designed with automated production and assembly in mind from the outset. “Automation does not come about because manufacturers wait for new machines or machine builders for automatable wiring harnesses,” Mende points out. OEMs need to simplify harness architectures and make their products suitable for automation, while equipment manufacturers must develop flexible production systems capable of handling different configurations.

This requires a stronger emphasis on Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA). “For successful ‘design for manufacturing and assembly’, product architecture, contacting concepts, accessibilities, test strategies and data models must therefore be developed from the outset together with the requirements of novel and flexible production systems,” Mende explains. Geometric zonal architectures could provide an important starting point by enabling smaller, reusable harness modules with fewer variants. This would simplify development and production while improving the feasibility of automated cable processing, connector assembly and vehicle installation. In effect, production requirements become a defining consideration in E/E architecture development rather than a downstream manufacturing challenge.

Standardisation and data are critical to scaling automation

Modular harness design alone will not deliver industrial-scale automation. Standardisation of connectors, electrical interfaces and component configurations is equally important. “Automation needs standardisation,” says Mende. Reducing the number of connection and connector variants makes components easier to feed, position and assemble automatically, while improving the repeatability of manufacturing processes. Combined with geometric zonal architectures, common interfaces and reusable modules could help manufacturers reduce product complexity without eliminating vehicle configuration flexibility.

Reliable digital information is another essential requirement. Automated manufacturing depends on consistent product and process data that can be shared across engineering, production equipment and assembly operations. The Next2OEM project identified end-to-end data models, standardisation and digital connectivity across the value chain as three critical success factors. Their importance extends beyond individual production stations: without a common digital foundation, even well-designed modular harnesses can prove difficult to manufacture efficiently across different companies and facilities.

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Closer cooperation across the supply chain

Achieving these changes will require a different approach to collaboration between vehicle manufacturers, wiring harness suppliers, component manufacturers and automation specialists. “The automation of the on-board network will not be solved by one company alone,” Mende stresses. OEMs define vehicle architectures and functional requirements, while suppliers contribute harness design and production expertise. Connector manufacturers and automation partners must develop the components and equipment needed to support new manufacturing processes. Aligning these activities earlier in the development cycle will be essential.

“The key lies in close, early and data-based collaboration along the entire value chain,” says Mende. Rather than developing products and production technologies independently, partners need to work from shared data and jointly defined requirements. Mende believes this integrated approach could make a substantial difference: “I am convinced that we can unlock the full automation potential if OEMs, suppliers, component manufacturers and automation partners work on a shared data basis and think through manufacturing and assembly processes together.”

What the next generation of wiring harnesses could look like

For Mende, the direction is clear: “The wiring harness of the future will look different and will be manufactured differently: it will be smaller, more modular, more strongly zonally oriented in structure and developed consistently for automation on new generations of equipment.” The combination of zonal architectures, simplified product structures and more flexible production systems could enable a fundamental change in how wiring harnesses are engineered and assembled.

However, achieving that transition will depend as much on the industrial ecosystem as on the underlying technology. Next2OEM has demonstrated promising approaches, but scaling them will require common data models, greater standardisation and closer integration between product development and manufacturing. As Mende concludes, it is crucial “that OEMs, on-board electrical system suppliers and automation partners work significantly more closely together than they do today – from the development of new systems to assembly in the vehicle.”

About the person: Ole Mende

Dr Ole Mende holds a doctorate in electrical engineering specialising in semiconductor technology and has more than 20 years of experience in the automotive industry with manufacturers and suppliers. Following positions in research, development, quality assurance and innovation, he has been responsible for wiring system development at Audi since 2019. He gained international experience at development sites in the USA, Brazil and China.

His current focus areas include wiring system and energy network architectures, the 12V/48V power supply and energy management, as well as organisational development and the management of interdisciplinary development teams.