Automobile

THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

    

    Before we begin studying how automobiles operate and how to service them, let us look at how automobiles are made. There are four major companies in the world wide making automobile.

• American Motors Corporation
• Chrysler Corporation
• Ford Motor Corporation
• General Motors Corporation

    In addition, some foreign-car makers have built manufacturing plants in the United States. Volkswagen, or example. Also, There are many foreign companies that ship motor vehicles into this country. These include Honda, Toyota, Datsun, BMW, Mercedes, and others.

     Let us follow the production of a new-model automobile from its start as an idea to the complete car, It takes three or more years to translate a new design into complete new car. Detailed drawings of every  part have to be made. Machinery has to be set up to make the parts, Material has to be ordered ahead of time. The assembly lines have to be set up and machinery installed. People who will work on the machines and assembly lines have to be trained in their operation.

     Meantime, the factory service engineers are producing the shop manuals that explain how to test and service all the components in the car. When new cars come out, service engineers organize schools to train mechanics in the new servicing procedures required on the new cars.

     All this is a very complicated process that involves hundreds of thousand of people. When you see a new car, think of how many millions of hours that men and women spent to think up, design and make the car.