About This Publication

This VDA publication focuses on a comprehensive and consistent presentation of maturity levels within the framework of progress in a project covering new parts, combined with an assessment of the maturity of the product and manufacturing process at agreed times within the product creation process. The maturity level assurance method can be applied both in internal customer-supplier relationships (within an organization, e.g. groups of companies) and in external customer-supplier relationships (between an organization and its customer or between the organization and its supplier). A significant element is therefore the rules covering cooperation at all stages in the supply chain, with the integration of all those involved in the project. To this end, important customer-supplier relationships are defined within the framework of milestone assessments in projects (new projects, face-lifts or other modification projects initiated by the customer), a concrete cooperation model in the project is described and thus the early, cross-functional integration of all those involved is assured.

This present volume is a revision of the second issue, dated October 2009.

The reasons for the revision were:

-       A stronger focus on the use of software in the vehicle

-       Requirements regarding maturity level assurance within the framework of agile product development

The most significant changes and adaptations which have been made are:

-       Revision of the set of measurement criteria based on user feedback in accordance with a continual improvement process, and new requirements

-       Introduction of further measurement criteria for product maturity level assurance

-       Integration of further measurement criteria and notes regarding software maturity level assurance, including requirements with regard to automotive cybersecurity

-       Additions to the notes on the measurement criteria to include the principles of agile collaboration between the customer and the supplier

-       Revision of A, B, and C risk classification, inclusion of specific contents pertaining to the use of software in the vehicle

-       Definition of A-, B-, C-, D-samples and assignment to the maturity levels