Automobiles are vehicles that carry people from one place to another. Automobiles are usually four-wheeled vehicles used for passenger transportation. Modern automobiles are complex technical systems incorporating thousands of separate components. Technological advances, safety legislation, and competition among manufacturers around the world have all contributed to the development of modern automobiles.
Ford’s mass production techniques
The mass production techniques that were developed by Ford in the first part of the twentieth century helped make automobiles more affordable. The assembly line reduced the amount of time that a Model T needed to be constructed by using fewer workers. The process also emphasized accuracy, durability, and soundness.
The assembly line was developed in 1913 and allowed Ford to reduce the cost of manufacturing cars. Before this technique, cars were hand-crafted by teams of skilled workmen. With the assembly line, workers performed the same tasks over, reducing the time spent away from a station and increasing the profit margin. The assembly line helped Ford reduce the assembly time of a Model T from 12 1/2 hours to six hours.
Daimler and Maybach’s inventions
Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach were two of the most important individuals in the development of the internal combustion engine, which is still the standard for all automobiles. Maybach and Daimler developed the early petrol engine and later put it into motorcycles, stagecoaches, and boats.
Maybach and Daimler’s first automobile was a steel-bodied, front-mounted, four-cylinder automobile based on bicycle design. The vehicle had a vee-twin engine, a four-speed gearbox, and a low center of gravity. The car was so successful that Jellinek purchased 36 cars and named them Mercedes after his daughter. The resulting automobiles introduced many features that are still used today.
Benz’s inventions
Before he became a successful entrepreneur, Benz worked for construction and engineering companies. Initially, his business did not do well and he soon left. Fortunately, he was able to obtain some capital from his wife, Bertha, who was his business partner. Benz then used his profits to develop his motor car.
The early version of Benz’s automobile was difficult to control and crashed into a wall during its public demonstration. However, he persevered and developed a more refined design. This led to his first commercially available automobile in 1887. He then won a gold medal for his invention at the Munich Imperial Exhibition and received many orders for automobiles. After this, the Benz Company was able to expand its workforce to 50 and shifted to a larger factory.
Chrysler’s mass production techniques
During the late 1990s, Chrysler began implementing mass production techniques that incorporated robotic automation. This made it possible to produce various models from a single assembly line. The robots were able to reprogramme themselves to work on different models. This allowed for the production line to be versatile and more cost-effective.
The techniques helped Chrysler become one of the best producers in the U.S. and were soon adopted by other American automakers. These mass production techniques also made it possible for the company to sell more cars. But they also made it difficult to enter the automobile business, and the number of active automobile makers fell from 257 in 1908 to 44 in 1929. By that time, the Big Three – Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler – were responsible for 80 percent of the industry’s output. After the war, the number of automobile manufacturers had increased dramatically in the United States, Europe, and Japan, and by the 1980s, the U.S. industry had become a global industry.
GM’s mass production techniques
GM engineers have pioneered many modern manufacturing techniques, including flexible assembly, computer simulation, robotics, and automated assembly. These advances have resulted in the continual improvement of plant floor processes. This has been the main reason for the success of GM. A few of these innovations predate the founding of the company itself.
In the early 1920s, the automobile industry was oversupplied. The mass production of automobiles made it difficult to meet demand and prices had to be lowered to maintain profitability. This led Sloan to develop a strategy that targeted consumer aspirations. His “car for every purpose and purse” policy segmented the market into two price ranges – low-cost Chevrolet and luxury Cadillac. Sloan also encouraged GM’s divisions to use standard parts and set up a general technical committee of engineers.
