Editor's Note: Finally, some good news
Dan Romanchik, Technical Editor -- Test & Measurement World, 3/1/2004
There is rarely much good news for test engineers. If you watch the national news, what sticks in your craw are all the recall notices and negative reports on customer satisfaction or declining quality. But now there's some good news, and we should make a big deal about it.
According to a recent report by R.L. Polk & Co. (Southfield, MI), cars are more durable than ever before. Polk reports that in 2003, only 5.5% of US vehicles were scrapped, and while this may seem like a high number, it's the lowest scrappage rate since 1993. The car scrappage rate was even lower at 5.2%, which is the lowest since 1948.
The report squarely credits the low scrappage rate to better durability. "Cars and light trucks are becoming more durable," said Mike Gingell, VP of Polk's aftermarket team. "Although the scrappage rate for all trucks increased, the scrappage rate for light trucks stands at 6.0 percent, which is the lowest scrappage rate since Polk's light truck report was introduced in 2000."
I think that automotive test engineers can take at least some of the credit for this. By developing better test equipment and test and analysis procedures, you have improved the test data used to make design decisions. Better data means better decisions, and ultimately, better durability.
So, give yourselves a pat on the back for a job well done. You deserve it.
Contact Dan Romanchik at editor@aatr.net .
