Parts Churn
At the level of individual parts, there are surprisingly frequent redesigns of automobile components entailing replacement of existing proprietary, non-standard, non-interchangeable designs of automobile parts with new, proprietary, non-standard, non-interchangeable designs which produce no discernible benefit to consumers but which do produce, instead, more expensive vehicles carrying an unnecessarily high cost and potential for severe injury and possible death to drivers and passengers from a part manufacturing or design error stemming from the high rate of parts churn. One also finds exorbitantly high costs arising from the large number of proprietary, non-interchangeable, functionally identical parts which must be produced and stored. “Parts Churn” can be defined as a process wherein a part is designed, tested, has manufacturing tooling produced, then, finally, manufactured and used for 1 to 6 years before being replaced by a functionally identical but non-interchangeable part which is designed, tested, has manufacturing tooling produced, manufactured, and replaces the previous part but offers no advantage to the consumer over the previous part and concomitantly presents an enhanced risk of possible injury and expense to the consumer due to an increased risk of random design or manufacturing error.
Parts Churn is not an engineering function but a process performed for the purposes of marketing or revenue enhancement. It should be stated that professional engineers normally do not do this sort of thing of their own volition. This is what the National Electrical Manufacturers Association says about standards: which are the antithesis of the process described above:
NEMA believes that Standards play a vital part in the design, production, and distribution of products destined for both national and international commerce. Sound technical Standards benefit the user, as well as the manufacturer, by improving safety, bringing about economies in product, eliminating misunderstandings between manufacturer and purchaser, and assisting the purchaser in selecting and obtaining the proper product for his or her particular need.
https://www.nema.org/standards/about-standards
National Society of Professional Engineers nspe.org
I. Fundamental Canons
Engineers, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall:
1. Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.
. . .
5. Avoid deceptive acts.
6. Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and usefulness of the profession.
https://www.nspe.org/sites/default/files/resources/pdfs/Ethics/CodeofEthics/NSPECodeofEthicsforEngineers.pdf
As will be demonstrated later herein, Parts Churn violates the above three Fundamental Canons.
The lengthy Parts Churn process described above featuring frequent re-design of automobile parts is performed in the production of every vehicle sold in the U. S. and the western hemisphere (except for Tesla).
Furthermore, as will be discussed infra, Parts Churn is a violation of the Sherman Act. There is no plausible, legitimate business rationale for churning of automobile parts, particularly when safety components are churned.
