International cooperation for enhanced quality: VDA and AIAG publish joint standard for statistical process control in automotive industry

The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) and the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) have jointly published the new AIAG-VDA SPC Handbook. This provides the international automotive industry with a harmonized standard for Statistical Process Control (SPC) for the first time. The handbook establishes a unified basis for the assessment, monitoring, and continuous improvement of manufacturing processes throughout the global automotive supply chain.
Following the jointly developed handbook on Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), the SPC Handbook is the second "Core Tool" harmonized by AIAG and VDA. It represents another significant step towards globally consistent quality standards and more efficient collaboration between manufacturers and suppliers.

The aim of the new handbook is to provide companies with a practical, internationally aligned methodology for the approval, monitoring, and control of production processes. It focuses on the transparent assessment of machine and process performance as well as process capabilities, the sustainable enhancement of process knowledge, and the early detection and management of deviations before they result in defective products.

Experts from the international automotive industry, representing the entire value chain, were involved in developing the handbook. Through close collaboration, existing approaches were harmonized, further developed, and adapted to the requirements of modern production systems.

The AIAG-VDA SPC manual is based on established statistical methods and aligns with relevant international standards for statistical process control. At the same time, it establishes a common terminology and application framework for companies worldwide, thereby facilitating collaboration within global supply chains.

"Today, quality is created within globally interconnected value-added networks. With the joint SPC manual, the AIAG and the VDA are establishing a unified basis for statistical process control across the entire supply chain. This strengthens international cooperation, enhances the comparability of quality requirements, and supports companies in making their processes even more robust and efficient," VDA Managing Director Jürgen Mindel said.

"We are proud to publish a handbook jointly with the VDA that directly addresses the challenges of global quality requirements. For our member companies, this means they no longer have to contend with varying regional standards or parallel quality processes. The harmonized approach simplifies the implementation of requirements, reduces training efforts, and enables companies to focus even more strongly on manufacturing excellence and the continuous improvement of their processes," Matt Pohlman, Chief Executive Officer of the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG), said.

The handbook supports companies in conducting machine performance and process capability studies, systematically qualifying and approving production equipment and processes, and effectively monitoring and controlling processes. Furthermore, it helps to detect deviations at an early stage and derive appropriate measures to ensure long-term process stability.
In this context, SPC is described as an integral part of a holistic quality management approach and linked to established methods such as FMEA, Control Plan, and MSA/VDA 5.

With the publication of the AIAG-VDA SPC Handbook, AIAG and VDA are making a significant contribution to the global standardization of quality methods. This provides companies with a common reference for statistical process control and a reliable foundation for ensuring and further developing quality within global production networks.

The AIAG-VDA SPC manual will be available in the VDA QMC webshop starting July 1, 2026.