Catena-X launches Engineering Domain
Setting new standards for collaborative product development
The Catena-X Automotive Network is taking a decisive step into the future of product development with the launch of its new Engineering Committee, driving by the demand of the industry. This strategic expansion marks the first time the network has dedicated a business domain to transforming how engineering is done across the entire automotive value chain bringing together relevant organizations like the German Automotive Association (VDA), Prostep ivip and the Industrial Digital Twin Association (IDTA).
In today’s automotive industry, developing next-generation vehicles requires unprecedented levels of collaboration. From initial requirements to final testing, thousands of companies must work together seamlessly – yet the exchange of engineering data is often slow, fragmented, and burdened by manual processes. The new Engineering Domain changes that by speeding up the process of developing a standard from scratch in less than six months.
“The digitalization of collaborative engineering processes is a decisive lever to unlock further potential for cross-company collaboration through Catena-X,” says Michael Hahn, Managing Director Valur Creation at Catena-X Association e.v. “By introducing standards and improving data management, we are laying the foundation for faster development cycles as well as more efficient and innovative product development.”
The Goal
At the heart of the initiative is the creation of a common language for engineering data: connecting and referencing requirements, change requests, geometries, and simulation models in a standardized way. This will allow partners to:
- Share data securely and with full sovereignty
- Cut manual work and avoid duplicate efforts
- Accelerate innovation by enabling AI-ready data from day one
Next Steps
The first release will introduce initial standards like the „Digital Engineering Master Data“ and „Requirements“ standard and reference implementations. By December, the scope will expand with additional standards and use cases, supporting everything from master data management to software development and model-based systems engineering.
Beyond efficiency and cost savings, the Engineering Domain will also help companies meet growing regulatory demands – from the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive to the Cyber Resilience Act – and support industry-wide sustainability goals such as ESG and ELV compliance.