Blockchain architecture for automotive traceability
Marlene Kuhn, Felix Funk, Jörg Franke
Abstract
The automotive value chain comprises a complex manufacturing network, which encompasses several departments, companies, and even countries. In the age of electrification and autonomous driving, the quality and transparency requirements are rising, in particular for electric and electronic components, which contribute to safety-critical functionalities. In this research, we analyze the traceability requirements and liability implications for the automotive manufacturing network. A key component in preventing safety and quality deficiencies in manufacturing processes is a state-of-the-art traceability system. Accordingly, we propose a blockchain-based traceability architecture to achieve the aspired level of transparency and process security. The proposed blockchain architecture processes manufacturing data entries and defines blockchain nodes, access, as well as consensus algorithm and transaction logic. An Ethereum-based blockchain demonstrator validates the architecture by implementing the logic for automotive product configuration and process sequencing based on the semi-fungible ERC 1155 token, the proof of authority consensus, and an automotive product token smart contract.