Connected cars, Blockchain, IoT devices, and what’s next for Emre
What’s your job at Accenture? Do you do any side activities?
I work as an Application Development Analyst at IT/OT within the Technology business unit and I’m currently on a project at a car manufacturer. The software we create supports the process of quality assurance in the production line. Vehicles are checked for quality directly in the production line. In individual cases, it can be a visual inspection to determine whether individual parts have been correctly installed or whether the paint is of the appropriate quality. Our software supports this process.
My side-project is still in an early phase. I’m part of our internal Blockchain community, and we’re currently deciding on what to focus on next.
Which journey did you take to arrive at TwoDigits/Accenture?
After school, I knew I wanted to get more involved with IT, so I started studying Business Informatics. I wrote my bachelor thesis at a German engineering company and was offered a job when I finished my thesis. The software I developed was calculating prices for all kinds of machinery the company produced. Users could configure the machine in various ways and would get a price at the end.
This was interesting for starters, but I figured out quickly that I wanted to learn more. This is why I began working with a consultancy company. Most of the time, I was involved with projects in the car industry, but that job was more about business analysis than development. I noticed that I wanted to move forward and to learn even more. I searched for what to do next and decided to proceed with a Master’s degree in Digital Business Engineering.
I was always interested in IoT, so my Master’s thesis was about implementing a Blockchain-based marketplace for a 3D-printing service, which enables 3D-printers to autonomously print 3D-parts and earn cryptocurrency.
After my studies, I did a lot of traveling. I thought I needed a break from all the studying. So I traveled to distant places, such as South Africa. During this time, an Accenture recruiter approached me, and this is how I ended up with Two Digits.
What gets you up in the morning?
It’s not the alarm clock, for sure! I’m a person who looks for significance in what I’m doing. If I see that I can help the client with my skills, then this is my incentive. I like being productive, and I want to make the world a little better with what I’m doing.
What differentiates us from other companies?
The human being. Accenture has a very open and inclusive culture. Regardless of seniority, everybody is quite approachable and helpful. Most of the time, you don’t even recognize that you were just talking to a managing director. Appreciation is essential here. People not only say, “Ask me anything, anytime,” but they mean it. As Accenture is a huge company, we have hundreds of projects. I believe everyone can find the right project for them. Many consultancies have a narrow focus, but Accenture is working with almost every kind of business.
If you were asked to come up with a project that comes straight from your heart, what would it be about?
It would be in the area of connected cars. I’m interested in IoT, but also in vehicles. My passion is about creating innovative, digital, and connected services in the automotive field. I could think about software that helps with safety, multimedia, customer experience, or remote controlling your car. Modern premium cars already use around 70 controller devices. Some companies, like Tesla, even see software as the priority rather than the hardware/the car itself.
What’s your view on self-driving cars?
I like the idea and think it will definitely be a thing in the future. The question is, to what degree. Many car manufacturers see this as a strategic goal. Mostly, autonomous driving is one part of a bigger puzzle, along with electrification and connected services.
I had the opportunity to sit in a self-driving car during a test ride. I read a book while sitting in the driver’s seat and was asked how I felt about it, like if I felt safe or was worried about a crash.
It’s a complex topic, as so many countries have so many different rules and laws. Germany would be perfect for moving forward with this, as we have a pretty good infrastructure. On the other hand, I think as long as 100% safety cannot be guaranteed, I doubt we’ll see autonomous vehicles soon in Germany.
For this interview, I talked to Emre Kocyigit, an IT/OT Developer at the TwoDigits boutique within Accenture. If you want to work with people like Emre, check out our jobs.
This post is part of our colleague interview series, which appears regularly on our TwoDigits blog.
