New Delhi, Sept. 28 -- Launching a new vehicle is always a race against several moving targets. Engineering teams must bring together thousands of parts, multiple suppliers and dozens of specialist functions, while keeping design, manufacturing, testing and production readiness on track. At the same time, market expectations and competitive pressures leave little room for a delayed launch. A programme that begins with months of engineering work can quickly lose time when problems in one area start affecting several others.

This is an increasing reality for Indian Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the automotive industry. According to a study by Vector Consulting Group, new vehicle programmes involving major changes in body, chas...