An evaluation of professional quality measurement systems for the automotive industry

Abstract

This paper presents data from two sources for the current state of quality, reliability, and safety in the automobiles produced in the US and some major Asian companies. These two major sources, Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates are evaluated in terms of the kind of information they present, the way they collect their data, and what they measure. The focus has been placed on these sources because they are the two leading authorities in terms of the amount of data and research they have in store. The result of the analysis provides a perspective on the magnitude and value of the information provided by these sources. The ultimate goal of this study is to get comparable quantitative information about automobile quality manufactured by the U.S. Big Three and their Asian counterparts. This data and information, based on the two sources mentioned above, will identify how the U.S. Big Three compare today to the Asian manufacturers. In addition, data compiled from the last 10 years will show the relative improvement of these competitors in the areas of quality, reliability, and safety.