HOW GM IS ACCELERATING VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT

SUBTITLE: WHAT STARTED AS A PROGRAM TO APPLY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO THE VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AT GENERAL MOTORS SOON EVOLVED INTO A BROAD COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE THAT EMBRACED GM'S EXTERNAL PARTNERS. AS PART OF THAT INITIATIVE, KEY SUPPLIERS ARE VIRTUALLY LINKED TO THE AUTOMAKER AT EVERY STAGE IN THE VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF REMARKABLE. GM HAS REDUCED ITS VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT CYCLE TIME FROM FOUR YEARS TO 18 MONTHS AND PLANS TO REDUCE IT EVEN FURTHER.