Book Description
This digital document is an article from Automotive Design & Production, published by Gardner Publications, Inc. on April 1, 2002. The length of the article is 393 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.Citation Details
Title: Non-critical thinking. (WIP).(cost-containment, liability issues)(Brief Article)
Author: Christopher A. Sawyer
Publication: Automotive Design & Production (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 2002
Publisher: Gardner Publications, Inc.
Volume: 114 Issue: 4 Page: 29(1)Article Type: Brief ArticleDistributed by Thompson Gale

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The integration of electronics into vehicle platforms is accelerating, as are concerns about component cost. However, liability--a not-insignificant fear for automakers--may be one reason costs aren't dropping as quickly as they might.

"Liability and cost are the two biggest issues we face," says Jerry Kolbe, market segment group manager for Murata Electronics North America [5myrna, GA], the largest supplier of both ceramic resonators and capacitors to the automotive market. "We can cut costs by integrating functions to add value and create a unique product, but we have to be involved in the project very early. Otherwise, you're locked-in by decisions that already have been made."