Aston Martin’s Chief Technology Officer, Roberto Fedeli, has been with the company for a year now. He previously worked at Ferrari, where he led the development of the LaFerrari hypercar, before moving on to roles at BMW and FCA. Fedeli was brought on board at Aston Martin to help change the products according to the new DNA of the brand. He oversees a team of around 800 engineers and is responsible for developing future talent within the company.

Promoting Young Talent

Fedeli’s target is to promote young talent within the company, honing pure Aston Martin people who can lead product development in five to seven years. He believes that the second target is to build a strong and capable team of technicians to secure the future of Aston Martin. Fedeli is excited about the direction that Aston Martin is taking and believes that there is no other project as exciting in the world.

In-House Software Development

Aston Martin has been doing its own software development in-house, starting with the DB12. Fedeli believes that if they don’t do this, they could be led by someone else and managed by someone else. All manufacturers are doing this, and Aston Martin is one of the last. However, they have to do it. The number of people working on software in the UK isn’t huge, and they are struggling to find people. They are working with universities and start-ups and have an agreement with them to get the best talent they can find.

Mercedes-Benz Partnership

Mercedes-Benz is still a substantial shareholder and an important technical partner for Aston Martin. They are developing personalisation of the engine, with the base engine and technology coming from Mercedes. Without Mercedes, they could be in trouble when it comes to Euro 7 emissions regulations. Mercedes isn’t just an engine for them; it’s also the base electrical architecture. They did integration of new components into the base Mercedes architecture for the DB12, and this collaboration will remain in the future.

Mid-Engined Project

Fedeli finds the mid-engined project at Aston Martin very exciting. His last experience in Italy was LaFerrari, and he has the experience to do that. The DB12 is the beginning, and it’s so important. The product is completely different, not just the components but also the DNA and the positioning of the brand to the past. They will consolidate this DNA and start to think of new products accordingly.

Consistency Between Future Models

Fedeli believes that everything in the company needs to be consistent, from the quality of the toilets to the food in the canteen, the people, the developers, and the people selling the cars. When they do the next car, it has to be consistent but different. The past is the past, but their chairman has a clear direction and results he wants to see from the company.

Working with the Aston Martin Formula 1 Team

Aston Martin is using lots of experiences and skills from F1. The majority of their collaborations are in aerodynamics and vehicle dynamics on the simulator, using their F1 sim. They are also working on energy management. The F1 team has very strong experiences for EVs and on carbon fibre. Fernando Alonso is one of very few F1 drivers who has an interest in the capability of road cars as well.

Conclusion

Roberto Fedeli is excited about the direction that Aston Martin is taking and believes that there is no other project as exciting in the world. He is promoting young talent within the company and believes that this is essential for securing the future of Aston Martin. The company is doing its own software development in-house, which is a significant challenge as they are struggling to find good, young people in the UK. Mercedes-Benz remains an important technical partner for Aston Martin, and they are developing personalisation of the engine with the base engine and technology coming from Mercedes. The mid-engined project at Aston Martin is very exciting, and they will consolidate their DNA and start to think of new products accordingly. Consistency is essential for the company, and everything needs to be consistent, from the quality of the toilets to the food in the canteen, the people, the developers, and the people selling the cars. Finally, Aston Martin is working closely with the Aston Martin Formula 1 team, using their experiences and skills in aerodynamics, vehicle dynamics, energy management, EVs, and carbon fibre.