Mass customisation - an automotive perspective

Increasingly automotive manufacturers are aiming for mass customisation, pr oviding such a variety of products that nearly everyone can find what they want. More product variety is causing escalating costs and complexity in ma nufacturing. It is not clear how the manufacturing system engendered by lea n production will respond to this challenge. Manufacturers are experimentin g with models of the assembly and supply chain as a cost-effective solution for customisation increased is yet to emerge. These models represent a con tinuum of supplier involvement in the assembly process, as manufacturers se ek to establish the optimum balance between cost reduction, retention of co ntrol and devolution of responsibility to the supply chain. The authors arg ue that an effective approach must be developed to support decisions on ini tiatives aimed at promoting customisation and preventing escalating costs a nd complexity in manufacturing. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights r eserved.