“Digital twins can give insight into your entire supply chain, enabling you to strategically plan production depending on stock levels and supplier lead times,” says Andrew Aitken, chief commercial officer of software company Lanner. “Through having this knowledge, automotive plant managers can plan production with a full understanding of what materials and resources are available to them, ensuring targets are met.”

In some cases, the twin may be reproduced via virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) viewed through special headsets, though there is some debate in technology circles about whether these systems are complex enough to be true digital twins. BMW Group, however, has used virtual and augmented reality for more than two years to assist production workers and to support designers in planning new facility layouts.