Automobile Distribution Research Articles

Case Article—Coastal Shipping for Automobile Distribution

With growing concerns related to the environment, sustainable transportation has gained importance. For geographies with an ample coastline, coastal shipping offers a sustainable transportation option to move massive freight quantities. This paper presents a case that allows students to appreciate the role of coastal shipping in multimodal logistics planning. Furthermore, it gives students an opportunity to mathematically model transportation planning at a strategic and tactical level for automotive distribution. The students learn how to assess the financial viability of a mode shift from roadways to coastal shipping. The instructors can use this case for theoretical discussion on multimodal logistics and the application of mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) and heuristics as solution methods. Furthermore, the case presents an opportunity to demonstrate the improvement in solution quality with an MILP solver compared with heuristics.

Case—Coastal Shipping for Automobile Distribution

Case—Coastal Shipping for Automobile Distribution

A survey of finished vehicle distribution and related problems from an optimization perspective

In this survey paper, we critique the optimization studies on the distribution of finished vehicles from automobile manufacturers to dealers in the past three decades and propose promising prospective research to minimize the gap between industrial practice and academic research. First, we identify major decision makers involved in automobile distribution, summarize service models, and briefly describe the automobile shipping practice by transportation mode. After defining the automobile shipping optimization problem at the operational level, we present the automobile distribution problem taxonomy by classifying existing studies by the level of decision making, mode of transportation, and type of optimization decisions. Each subcategory of studies is reviewed in detail through comparisons by objective function, constraints, formulation, solution algorithm, and test instances. We conclude this survey paper by summarizing major review outcomes and proposing potential research directions. This survey will stimulate interested transportation researchers to conduct further research to keep pace with the rapid evolution of the automobile shipping practice.

Embedding the market during times of crisis: the European automobile cartel during a decade of crisis (1973–1985)

The crisis of the long 1970s marked a structural transformation of the European automobile industry. It shifted from national oligopolies to supranational oligopoly coordinated by European institutions. This article presents this historical transition by looking at competition law as the key regulation for politically governing a European market of automobiles. In particular, it reconstructs the central role played by the European Commission in creating a legal exemption from the general rules of competition through a specific regulation (123/1985), which for a decade limited competition in automobile distribution between multinationals at the expense of distributors and consumers.

The perception of Industry 4.0 in the managers of automobile distribution companies

The perception of Industry 4.0 in the managers of automobile distribution companies

INTERNATIONALIZATION AND GLOBAL MARKETING OF AUTOMOBILE RECYCLING COMPANIES TO EXPAND THE WORLD’S VENOUS INDUSTRY: CASE STUDY OF KAIHOSANGYO CO.

In the research of global marketing so far, research on the arterial industry that manufactures products and supplies them to the market is mainstream, and empirical studies of downstream automobile distribution service companies and automobile recycling companies are inadequate. Research on global marketing by automobile recycling companies is increasingly required due to the growing global environmental problems and the demand for providing inexpensive high quality mobility. In this research, we will clarify the trajectory of internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises in automobile recycling by using case of KaihoSangyo Co. exporting used parts to 85 countries including Africa. This company is a global advanced company of automobile recycling with headquarters in Kanazawa. He received a variety of outside awards including SDGs business awards. KaohoSangyo's automobile recycling overseas development project is an effort to combine commercial success and sustainable development. The company has established a system to export second-hand used parts of used cars in Japan to developing countries, to visualize quality, to buy and sell. In addition, we are building a system that is beneficial and necessary for emerging countries, such as nurturing overseas buyers' talent, constructing second-hand parts procurement systems in Japan, building overseas second-hand car auction systems. As a result, shortage of mobility in developing countries has been resolved through realization of low price, realizing the reuse of used parts in Japan in emerging and developing countries.

The Fiction of Locally Owned Mom and Pop Car Dealers: Some Data on Franchised Automobile Distribution in the State of Michigan

The State of Michigan is currently defending a constitutional challenge to its automobile direct distribution prohibition. The lawsuit was brought by the automotive manufacturer Tesla, which has been denied a license to open show rooms or service centers in the state. A 2014 amendment to Michigan’s vehicle franchise statute tightened the statute’s direct distribution prohibition to make clear that even a manufacturer like Tesla that did not franchise dealers at all is prohibited from opening its own showrooms or service centers and dealing directly with consumers in the state. That law has been widely criticized by economists, consumer protection organizations like the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Federation of America, environmental groups like the Sierra Club, and free market organizations like the Institute for Justice. In the Michigan litigation, the State is expected to rely on the assertion, frequently made by the dealers’ lobbyists, that maintaining a locally owned dealership system is beneficial to the State. Such assertions are grounded in the trope of the atomistic “mom and pop” dealer of American economic folklore — the family-owned, locally rooted dealership. This justification is increasingly a fiction. While some such dealerships may still exist, Michigan law does not require dealerships to be locally owned and operated or independent from other economic enterprises. Many are not.

Analysis of Competitiveness in Automobile Distribution Industry between USA and China

Analysis of Competitiveness in Automobile Distribution Industry between USA and China

Automobile Modeling Research Based on Numerical Simulation

In order to adapt to new modern car styling, the aerodynamic numerical simulations based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are applied to the process of car styling. We received the early modeling design automobile aerodynamic coefficients, pressure distribution, velocity contours and other body outflow field data after the CFD post, combined with these data some advice to improve the aerodynamic drag of the designed car are given. Proposed aerodynamic automobile design method is based on numerical simulations, according to experience in air vehicle dynamics studies.

The History of Automobile Distribution in China

The History of Automobile Distribution in China

Based on 3D Virtual Prototype Technology and Finite Element Analysis of the Optimization of the Automobile Front Axle

The front axle is an important part of a car, directly affects the dynamic characteristics of car. Based on UG NX6.0 for automobile front axle parts 3D modeling, finite element analysis software ANSYS modal analysis was carried out on the front axle, and extract their first four order natural frequency and vibration mode shapes, the automobile front axle structure stress analysis and stress distribution nephogram of get parts. Analysis of the impact load condition and emergency braking conditions modal analysis, and further to fatigue analysis of the front axle bridge shell, for provide valuable reference data for the reasonable design of parts. For the kinetics of further research and improvement of front axle provides the theoretical basis, but also provides reference to the actual test.

The Automobile Distribution Industry’s Trade Structure Analysis and Comparison between Japan and USA

The Automobile Distribution Industry’s Trade Structure Analysis and Comparison between Japan and USA

Trade Structure Analysis for Automobile Distribution Industry’s between China and Japan*

Trade Structure Analysis for Automobile Distribution Industry’s between China and Japan*

Trade Structure Analysis for Automobile Distribution Industry’s between China and Japan*

Trade Structure Analysis for Automobile Distribution Industry’s between China and Japan*

Trade Structure Analysis for Automobile Distribution Industry’s between China and Japan

Trade Structure Analysis for Automobile Distribution Industry’s between China and Japan

Optimal Automobile Distribution Model in Multimodal Freight Transportation Networks

This paper proposes a novel optimal automobile distribution problem for a large automobile manufacturer. The proposed problem concerns the cost-effective distribution of automobiles to vehicle distribution centers and vehicle storage centers in a multimodal freight transportation network including truck, rail, and ship modes by taking into account practical service frequencies and the capacities of ships and trains, multiple batches daily delivery, and demanded delivery time. The problem is formulated as an integer linear programming model, which can be solved efficiently by an optimization solver such as CPLEX. A case study created by the Shanghai Automobile Industry Corporation is carried out to assess the applicability and performance of the model developed in this study.

The Automobile Distribution Industry's Trade Structure Analysis and Comparison between Japan and USA

The Automobile Distribution Industry's Trade Structure Analysis and Comparison between Japan and USA

A Simulation of Automobile Distribution Model against Production Schedule Variance

A Simulation of Automobile Distribution Model against Production Schedule Variance

Competitive Pressure and the Adoption of Complementary Innovations

Liberalization of the European automobile distribution system in 2002 limits the ability of manufacturers to impose vertical restraints, leading to a substantial increase in competitive pressure among dealers. We estimate an equilibrium model of profit maximization to evaluate how dealers change their innovation adoption strategies following the elimination of exclusive territories. Using French data we evaluate the existence of complementarities between the adoption of software applications and the scale of production. Firms view these innovations as substitutes and concentrate their effort in one type of software as they expand their scale of production. Results are robust to the existence of unobserved heterogeneity. (JEL D24, K21, L21, L22, L62, O32)

Contract Adaptation under Legal Constraints

This paper shows theoretically that automobile distribution contracts can be seen as efficient responses to the manufacturers’ obligation to offer non-discriminatory terms to dealers. This legal rule may prevent the parties from adapting contracts to new contingencies even when performance is ex post verifiable, as manufacturers may be unable to reach advantageous bargains with heterogeneous dealers using one-size-fits-all instruments. To circumvent the law and improve adaptation, manufacturers amend contracts informally, efficiently tailoring them to dealers’ characteristics. Moreover, to make future informal amendments self-enforcing, contracts assign authority to manufacturers ex ante when the dealers are strongly averse to change, so manufacturers may be tempted to renege, ex post, on the large bonuses necessary to make them accept the amendments voluntarily. The model can be extended to employment, franchising and, more generally, to all contracts linking a central party to a set of parties with inferior bargaining power, where anti-discrimination rules may apply.