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Not to mention most car companies licence a lot of technology in their drivetrains already. For example common rail diesel injection systems are proprietary technology owned by Bosch that most companies who make diesel cars pay to licence.
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I can't remember exactly when, but probably 5 or 6 years ago,
it was common knowledge that VW had summoned suppliers of
components that formed the functional front of their passenger cars,
light clusters, coolant radiators, AC radiators and told them
to sort themselves out.
VW wanted suppliers to assemble all the various components into
modules easily bolted onto the front of VW's standard chassis systems.
I don't know who 'won' but VW seem to have a better European market share
and have helped to chase GM out of Europe.
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Bobbo
mespilus
@davidual
I toured a pickup truck factory and it was amazing how much was outsourced.
Entire dashboards with wiring harnesses hanging off them for example.
Aluminum rims arriving from supplier with tires mounted and balanced.
Grills with headlights and turn signals installed and ready to wire.