Automotive Innovation with Data Streaming using Apache Kafka Flink Confluent at CARIAD Volkswagen Group VW
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CARIAD’s Unified Data Platform: A Data Streaming Automotive Success Story Behind Volkswagen’s Software-Defined Vehicles

The automotive industry transforms rapidly. Cars are now software-defined vehicles (SDVs) that demand constant, real-time data flow. This post highlights the CARIAD success story inside the Volkswagen Group. CARIAD tackled data fragmentation. It built the Unified Data Ecosystem (UDE). Learn how Confluent’s data streaming platform, powered by Apache Kafka and Flink, serves as the central nervous system. This platform connects millions of vehicles and cloud services globally. The event-driven architecture helps CARIAD achieve faster development, meet compliance (like the EU Data Act), and reduce costs. The platform unlocks high-value use cases, such as predictive maintenance and AI-powered fleet management.
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IT OT Convergence with Unified Namespace UNS and Data Product in Industrial IoT using Data Streaming Apache Kafka MQTT OPC UA
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Unified Namespace vs. Data Product in IT/OT for Industrial IoT

Industrial companies are connecting machines, sensors, and enterprise systems like never before. Real-time data, cloud-native platforms, and AI are driving this transformation—but only if silos between OT and IT can be broken down. This blog introduces two key architecture patterns that support IT/OT convergence. The Unified Namespace structures live OT data, while Data Products govern and deliver that data across IT systems. Technologies like MQTT, OPC UA and Apache Kafka play a central role in building scalable, secure, and real-time data pipelines. Combined, these patterns enable clean integration, better data quality, and faster time to value—laying the foundation for success in manufacturing, energy, logistics, and beyond.
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Replacing OT Middleware with Data Streaming using Kafka and Flink for Cloud-Native Industrial IoT with MQTT and OPC-UA
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Modernizing OT Middleware: The Shift to Open Industrial IoT Architectures with Data Streaming

Legacy OT middleware is struggling to keep up with real-time, scalable, and cloud-native demands. As industries shift toward event-driven architectures, companies are replacing vendor-locked, polling-based systems with Apache Kafka, MQTT, and OPC-UA for seamless OT-IT integration. Kafka serves as the central event backbone, MQTT enables lightweight device communication, and OPC-UA ensures secure industrial data exchange. This approach enhances real-time processing, predictive analytics, and AI-driven automation, reducing costs and unlocking scalable, future-proof architectures.
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