Automotive System Safety

1Safety Expectations for Consumers, OEMs, and Tier 1 Suppliers

Every business involves sales based on customers trusting that their expectations will be satisfied. This trust by the customer is based on a belief that ethical business practices are the norm and not the exception. The customer expects to be satisfied and receive value for money. No one expects to buy disappointment, and the global automotive business is no different in this regard. To some extent, the belief in ethical business practices is supported by the observance of regulatory enforcement. Media coverage of investigations and recalls adds credibility to this belief. Consumers believe that being treated ethically is a right, not a privilege. There are consumer expectations of performance, prestige, and utility. Part of this utility is trustworthiness.

Trustworthiness

Trustworthiness includes quality, reliability, security, privacy, and safety, and expectations of trustworthiness are increasing. Advocates of quality publish competitive results for quality among competing automotive vehicle suppliers. Competing vehicle suppliers reference these publications in marketing campaigns targeting consumers' belief that they are entitled to the highest quality for their investment in an automobile. Fewer “bugs” in new cars are expected; taking the vehicle back to the dealer in two weeks due to an initial quality defect is no longer acceptable to automotive consumers. The consumer expects improved reliability to ...