US – The move is intended to improve cross-system integration, deliver a more consistent performance across vehicle programmes and address functional safety and compliance issues. Global Vehicle Engineering will be divided into Global Product Integrity and Global Vehicle Components and Subsystems.
Led by Ken Morris, currently executive director, Global Chassis Engineering, the Product Integrity division will focus on vehicle dynamics including ride and handling, steering and braking. The newly created role and organisation will cover vehicle, powertrain and electrical systems engineering as well as vehicle performance, industrial engineering and validation. GM says that “advanced analysis tools and processes” will be used to prevent problems during vehicle development, while data mining will enable a rapid reaction to any safety and product quality issues experienced by customers.
The Global Product Integrity organisation, which comes into immediate effect, also incorporates the recently established Global Vehicle Safety organisation, headed up by Jeff Boyer. Supplier Quality will now become part of the Product Integrity division.
Meanwhile, the current vice-president of GM Europe Powertrain Engineering, Ken Kelzer, will lead Global Vehicle Components and Subsystems as vice-president. The new role and organisation will include engineering operations, components development, advanced vehicle development and other engineering business initiatives.
As a result of the restructuring, John Calabrese will retire as vice-president of Global Vehicle Engineering, after a 33-year career with GM. He will remain with the company until August to assist with the transition. Morris and Kelzer are also GM veterans, having joined the company in 1989 and 1982 respectively.