Cutting costs is No. 1 concern of auto industry: survey

Keeping costs down is the top challenge facing the North American automotive industry, according to a survey of engineers and designers planning to attend the 2006 Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress.
Twenty-four percent of those surveyed identified cost control as their primary concern.
Alternate powertrain technologies and vehicle safety were selected as the number one challenge by 18 percent and 13 percent, respectively.
“These are still the ‘Big Three’ overall vehicle enhancement needs for the industry,” said Chris Murphy automotive director – Americas, for DuPont Automotive Performance Materials. DuPont Automotive co-sponsored the survey with the SAE International.
The survey also asked respondents to identify ways to strengthen the industry. Globalizing the supply base came first, selected by 16 percent of respondents.
Customer-facing innovations and cross-value chain collaboration ranked second and third, respectively.
The 2006 SAE World Congress runs from April 3-6, in Detroit, Mich.