Quality control is truly a non-negotiable detail in the automobile industry. While every industry has its own checks and balances when it comes to production, auto brands don’t have any room for error. These brands must audit themselves using the most stringent guidelines and standards possible in order to avoid a wide range of legal, ethical, and monetary repercussions that can arise when shortcuts or oversights are allowed to persist. Here’s a look at five reasons why the auto industry should monitor quality control.
1. Quality Control Leads to Better Products
The simple answer is that quality control is an essential asset in the automobile industry. Self-auditing protocols are truly at the heart of innovation. By conducting in-house analysis, car manufacturers and parts producers are able to innovate in real-time when they find flaws instead of waiting around for their competitors to discover better ways of doing things. Good quality control can simultaneously save the company money through smarter production methods while boosting revenue through sales.
2. Quality Control Guards Human Safety
The core reason for quality control in the automobile industry is that it saves lives. Faulty designs, parts, or manufacturing can put people at risk once vehicles are out on the road. That’s why companies have a moral obligation to use intensive quality control measures to verify that all parts and components are 100% safe. One of the best ways to do this is to work with qualified, respected vendors when designing systems for automobiles.
3. Quality Control Can Insulate an Auto Company From Lawsuits
Companies are liable when faults are either ignored or left undetected during the production process. When these faults are discovered through audits or investigations, vehicle manufacturers can be legally responsible for damages or injuries. Litigation can tie up millions of dollars each year. Having a paper trail demonstrating that proper quality control measures were used can be essential for protecting a company’s reputation.
4. Quality Control Can Prevent Costly Recalls
Poor quality control can inevitably result in product recalls. In fact, it’s not uncommon for up to 13 million vehicles to be recalled globally in a single year. Recalls are expensive for many different reasons. First, the logistics of recalling thousands of vehicles can cause millions of dollars in losses. Next, a manufacturer that issues a recall must pay to correct the problem if it can be proven that it was caused by a manufacturer error. Finally, the damage done to a brand’s reputation when it needs to issue a product recall due to a manufacturer error or product defect can be incalculable.
5. Quality Control May Shield Auto Companies From Government Fines
Governments take faulty automobile parts and systems extremely seriously. Manufacturers that get caught using inferior standards during production and testing risk being slapped with massive fines. What’s more, automobile manufacturers are at risk for fines even if their products don’t pose physical dangers. Under new regulations, new vehicles that are released by manufacturers must meet a variety of new environmental and performance guidelines in order to avoid heavy fines in the United States.
