New Delhi, July 28 -- At least four Indian auto component makers-Samvardhana Motherson, Varroc, Tenneco Clean Air and Sona Comstar-are quickening the pace of vehicle development following a push by automakers to launch cars faster in the wake of Chinese competition.

As Tata Motors PV, Mahindra and Mahindra and Renault look at China as a benchmark and target shorter product development cycles, auto component makers are stepping up investments in technology and processes to help speed up product development and execution.

Industry executives and experts acknowledged the challenge of upgrading entire supply chains to meet compressed timelines but said it has become necessary because global automakers are increasingly prioritizing speed to ...