It is no secret to anyone in the automotive industry that we are living in interesting times perhaps even chaotic and certainly very challenging times. As we stand at the threshold of the new millenium, the industry is undergoing incredible change in all its facets, and if anything, change is expected to accelerate in the years just ahead. To me, one of the most intriguing parts of this process of change is a common thread that ties much of what we are witnessing together. The boundaries between all different aspects of our business are beginning to dissolve, disappear, or just plain vanish. This is creating an enormous dilemma because most of us are far more comfortable and experienced in well-defined and rigid structures, and that is certainly not the case today, as rigidity is being replaced with a more fluid and dynamic environment.
Examples abound of vanishing boundaries.
Electrical, mechanical, and other engineering fields are literally merging, as automotive systems require application of integrated leading edge technology. The barriers between product engineering and manufacturing are falling as we move to true simultaneous engineering and development. Manufacturers and suppliers are becoming more blended in the industry structure. Labor and management are coming together as they jointly recognize their mutual interdependency. OEM parts businesses are merging as are auto and nonautomotive fields, such as the vanishing boundary between automotive and consumer electronics.