General Motors: The CAD - CAM - CAE Journey

With earnings of US $ 1.5 billion on sales of US $ 177.3 billion, US-based General Motors (GM) was clearly the world's largest vehicle manufacturer of cars and trucks. In 2001, the company set industry sales records for truck and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in its largest market - the US.

GM sold more than 1 million SUVs and more than 8.5 million cars and trucks, accounting for 15.1% of the world vehicle market. GM also had the credit of selling more full size pick-up trucks than any other manufacturer in the world since 1978. The company had approximately 362,000 employees all over the world. Established in 1908, GM had manufacturing operations in about 30 countries.

GM's popular cars and trucks include the Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Cadillac, GMC, Saturn, Hummer, Saab, Opel, Vauxhall and Holden. The company marketed its parts and accessories through GM Service Parts Operations under the brands of GM, GM Goodwrench and ACDelco. GM also had its presence in vehicle communications and information services segments (Refer Exhibit I for GM's business operations) through OnStar. OnStar was an industry leader offering services like personalized assistance; hands-free, voice-activated access to cellular phones and Internet-based information. These services were available on many of the company's cars and trucks. OnStar was also used in some vehicles of Lexus (US), Acura (US) and Subaru (Japan).