The first automobile from Mladá Boleslav ever developed by engineer Václav Laurin’s team was presented to the public by the Laurin & Klement brand back in 1905. The legendary L&K VOITURETTE A featured an open wooden body which had no windscreen and no doors. Later, manually formed sheet metal parts were affixed to the wooden frame with small nails. The car industry was still using this method half a century later.

11 July 1952 saw a major leap in manufacturing technology. The switch from wooden to metal bodies meant that the carpenters responsible for building wooden body frames had to turn to building transport boxes for vehicle exports. The new ŠKODA 1200 ‘Sedan’ was the first model with an all-steel pontoon construction and integrated mudguards, which enhanced the interior space and increased passive safety. The smooth and rounded surfaces also made servicing easier.

Development work on the new ŠKODA model began as early as 1948, with the first prototype being built a year later. Other versions soon followed, including the versatile STW (station wagon) estate version with a folding rear seat. A prototype with an open body was also developed.

The ŠKODA 1200 ‘Sedan’ represented an evolution of the chassis concept with a central tubular frame. This was forked at the front and could thus accommodate a petrol engine with OHV valve control and other innovative components, such as wet cylinder liners. The rear wheels with independent suspension were driven via a synchronised four-speed gearbox. The car reached a top speed of 105 km/h and consumed 10 litres of fuel per 100 km.

The father of the ‘Sedan’
Among the most prominent figures in the area of body construction at the time was Josef Velebný (1906-1989). He had been working at the car plant in Mladá Boleslav since 1925 and headed the body design department from 1946. This was also when systematic research and development in the field of aerodynamic optimisation began, resulting in higher top speeds and lower fuel consumption. In addition, the vehicles were quieter and the bodywork stayed cleaner on the roads. At that time, research was conducted using wooden models at a scale of 1:5 and 1:10 in a wind tunnel with a diameter of 1.8 metres. The only facility of this kind at the time was at the Aviation Research and Testing Institute in Prague-Letňany. ŠKODA first tested the ŠKODA 1101/1102 ‘Tudor’ models there, but the main focus was on the ŠKODA 1200.

Thanks to its new body, the car benefited from a low kerb weight of just 1,050 kilograms, which was comparable to the weight of the older, much smaller ŠKODA RAPID OHV model. The five-seater ‘Sedan’ had a partitioned luggage compartment with a separately accessible spare wheel and a tool kit that was mandatory at the time. The four doors also concealed the sills so that the passengers’ clothes would not get dirty when getting in and out. Among other things, having the gearstick mounted on the steering column helped to improve the active safety; the driver only had to take their hand off the steering wheel briefly when changing gears. At the same time, they enjoyed more legroom because the gearstick had been moved from the centre tunnel.

The advantages of an all-steel body were not only evident in the notchback version but also in light commercial vehicles. Production of these began in 1952 at the Vrchlabí plant. At the Kvasiny site, ambulance versions were built, with room for two stretchers as well as the crew. At the beginning of 1953, the range was expanded to include the practical ŠKODA 1200 STW estate car with a one-piece, side-opening rear door. Some of the fold-down seats were only accessible from the right-hand side of the vehicle to allow for a stiffer body. In the two-seater version, the estate offered a 1,750 mm long, 1,380 mm wide loading area, which measured 990 mm between the wheel arches.

The ŠKODA 1200 ‘Sedan’ underwent continuous modernisation. The adaptations optimised the body strength and reduced the interior noise. The innovations also included modern indicators, which replaced the earlier turn signals. The updated ŠKODA 1201 model with a more powerful engine started rolling off the line at the beginning of 1956. It had an output of 45 hp (33.1 kW) at 4,200 rpm. Production of the 1200/1201 series came to an end in autumn 1961 after 67,071 vehicles had been built, of which around 27,000 had notchback bodywork and around 15,000 were estates, with the remaining units being commercial vehicle versions.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

Christian Schenk, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Finance & IT, says: “The private 5G network is a milestone for ŠKODA AUTO on its journey towards becoming a Smart Factory. The technology offers enormous potential for future innovations, for example, in predictive maintenance and optical inspections in body construction. Under the recently launched pilot project, we are testing 5G in everyday operations, and we will also be evaluating future uses of this technology to make us even more efficient and flexible.”

Michael Oeljeklaus, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Production and Logistics, adds: “The 5G standard also opens up new possibilities for autonomous transport in logistics, augmented reality in production and many other applications. One example is the FATA MORGANA application that enables remote support between maintenance and technical experts in two different continents by creating a real-time digital twin and communicating using 3D objects in augmented reality. This technology takes advantage of the much faster flow of data and lower latency of 5G connectivity. Microsoft HoloLens 2 glasses also improve the efficiency of the digital twin of the scanned area.”

The 5G research network allows data to be locally transmitted securely in real time. The solution uses 5G Standalone (SA) technology, which is one of the first SA 5G commercial deployments in the Czech Republic. ŠKODA AUTO’s network uses a private frequency spectrum, which is unique to the ŠKODA AUTO smart factory; it enables reliable, wireless data transmission and guarantees sufficient bandwidth even under high utilisation. Thanks to 5G, latency, which is the time it takes to transmit data to sensors, machines, vehicles or other devices, may drop as low as a few milliseconds. This makes 5G technology significantly faster than WLAN or other wireless communication technologies.

The mobile private 5G network makes new technologies possible within the framework of the Smart Factory concept, for example in the areas of Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence and shared data. The next step will involve uploading data to finished vehicles via 5G. Another field of application is the intelligent networking of robots and wireless assembly tools.

ŠKODA AUTO has integrated the private 5G network into existing data networks in order to ensure the necessary data security and gain experience with deploying this technology. The technology will soon be extended to all areas of production and logistics. In the future, it will be used to autonomously transport vehicles and in predictive maintenance, and it will also be tested in combination with various devices at the ŠKODA FabLab.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

The all-electric VISION 7S concept car is ŠKODA’s first concept car to feature the manufacturer’s new design language. The first sketch has now been released showing inside the vehicle. In addition to sustainable materials, the minimalist interior is characterised by generous space for up to seven people in three rows of seats as well as ŠKODA’s signature Simply Clever features.

“The new design language is minimalist, functional and authentic. In the future, we will continue to focus on ŠKODA’s traditional strengths, such as generous space, easy usability and a high degree of functionality. With our new design language, we are taking the next step and placing even greater emphasis on the customer experience. The great creativity of our designers and engineers is demonstrated through movable interior elements and newly developed Simply Clever features such as an integrated child seat. The deliberately minimalist lines also extend the clear exterior design into the interior.”

Oliver Stefani, Head of ŠKODA Design

Innovative detail solutions
The interior of the new VISION 7S concept car features a symmetrical wrap-around design, plus a wide, horizontal dashboard that extends to the doors, enhancing the sense of space. An optimally positioned hand rest makes interacting with the touch screen and haptic buttons easy and convenient. Haptic controls are also integrated into the redesigned steering wheel. Ambient lighting highlights various areas of the interior, including charging status, and provides appropriate lighting when getting in and out of the car. The door panels also feature interactive haptic and visual elements. The integrated child seat is located in the centre console – the safest place in a vehicle. The backrests of the front seats are fitted with holders for multimedia devices for passengers in the second and third rows. These also have backpacks integrated into them.
 
Innovative sliding controls for different modes
The spacious interior offers two distinct configurations that provide a new spatial experience for different situations – driving and relaxing. In driving mode, all the controls are set in their ideal positions and the central touchscreen is vertically aligned to display all the relevant information while driving. Relax mode can be activated when charging or stopping for a rest; the steering wheel and instrument cluster slide forward and the first and second row seats move back for an even more relaxed seating position. This option offers passengers maximum space and comfort.

ŠKODA AUTO announced its new design language at this year’s annual press conference in March. The new design language is based on traditional brand values such as robustness, functionality and authenticity. The upcoming design language is characterised by spaciousness, durable and sustainable materials and an aerodynamic, efficient shape.

Article source: www.skoda-storyboard.com

“Our long-standing commitment to cycling is one of the cornerstones of our sponsorship activities in elite international and grassroots sport. In the early days of our company, the founders Václav Laurin and Václav Klement began by designing and manufacturing bicycles – this makes for an ideal ‘brand fit’. We are delighted to be supporting this great event again this year.”