Automotive
Building a car takes a long time — from research, through design to final development. First, researchers need to determine what consumers want. and then suggest what kind of automobile to make. During the design phase, new ideas are converted into tangible parts or products. At the same time engineers modify existing parts and features for the new model and draft new plans for the prototype (a working example of a new design). Then manufacturers begin to construct a few prototypes. These are extensively tested in wind tunnels and dust tunnels, factory tracks, water-proofing bays, desert heat. Arctic cold, and crashes. At the next stage a plant is set up to build the new model and the necessary components. Product planners monitor the process to ensure that the new car programmer finishes on time and within budget. Managers must also coordinate different activities, including producing the cars, purchasing materials, and training the workers.
Marketing teams must then sell the car. Every year the major car manufacturers launch their new models, but a single car design can take several years from the drawing board to the showroom floor. A typical company will therefore have several new designs in various stages of development at any given time.