Chapter 84 Assembly Line Production and Automobile Testing
Arthur was momentarily speechless. He had forgotten that all cars at this time were handmade, and the associated labor and time costs made production extremely expensive.
Ordinary cars on the market generally sold for over a hundred pounds, and models like the Viktoria, which featured more advanced performance, could fetch nearly two hundred pounds.
But the cost of a car didn't end with the purchase price. Because hand-built cars had small variations in every part, repair costs and downtime were significantly increased.
Due to this handcrafted nature, cars were also unstable and could easily break down every few days.
All these factors meant the true cost of a car went far beyond its price tag. This explained why, despite their clear advantages over horse-drawn carriages, automobiles had yet to see widespread global adoption.
"Mr. Benz, I know of a new method of automobile production that might solve the issues of cost and manufacturing time," Arthur said with a smile, noticing the disappointed expressions on their faces.
"Really, Your Highness? What is it?" As expected, the two instantly perked up, eagerly asking Arthur for the details.
"Gentlemen, your current production method involves a team building a car together, right?" Arthur didn't answer directly but posed a question of his own.
"Of course, Your Highness. We form teams of workers who are familiar with each other to build one car. That way, efficiency is higher and mistakes are fewer thanks to their coordination," Benz replied as if it were common sense.
"Then, why don't we try breaking down a complete car into parts?" Arthur asked with a smile. "A complete car can be divided into modules—doors, wheels, chassis, engine, and so on. What if each worker were responsible for just one part? Like a flow of water, from one end of a line to the other, gradually assembling a full car—wouldn't that work better?"
Since the concept of an assembly line didn't exist yet, Arthur had to explain it with a vivid analogy.
But it was clear that both men quickly grasped the idea, and they began frowning in deep thought as they considered its implications and advantages.
"Breaking down a complete car into multiple modules?" Benz murmured as he thought it over. A moment later, he turned to Diesel with a flash of excitement in his eyes—only to find Diesel looking back at him with the same spark.
"If one person handles only one module, not only could we increase assembly speed, but also reduce production errors," Benz said with growing enthusiasm. "My God, Your Highness, this is a brilliant idea! Thank you. This concept could revolutionize the car industry—and be adapted to others as well!"
Indeed, the assembly line system—later developed by the Ford Motor Company—was applied across numerous industries.
The discovery of this technique greatly accelerated mechanical production. It didn't just boost car manufacturing and expand the market; it also contributed immensely to many other sectors around the world.
"If possible, I'd like the car factory to be remodeled based on this theory. If assembly line production can speed up output and lower costs, our factory could lead the world automobile market," Arthur nodded slightly and smiled.
Clearly, both Benz and Diesel were captivated by Arthur's assembly line concept.
Had they not still been in the middle of testing their new prototype, they might have already rushed off to start modifying the factory.
As eager as they were, though, they couldn't skip the final trials of the new car.
This vehicle was the result of all their current knowledge—a contender for the title of the most advanced car in the world.
Benz and Diesel were confident in its performance.
Automobile testing at the time was quite basic, focusing mainly on top speed, cruising stability, and failure rates on rough roads.
In terms of speed, the new car—thanks to its powerful diesel engine—performed exceptionally well, reaching a terrifying top speed of nearly 90 kilometers per hour.
As for steady cruising, the numbers were impressive. The car could maintain a constant speed of 40 km/h until the fuel tank was empty—a duration of about seven hours.
Though unimpressive compared to future standards, in an era when automobiles were just being born, this was astonishing.
At present, the most common small vehicle in Europe was still the horse-drawn carriage. The average speed of a carriage was barely over ten kilometers per hour; going any faster risked severe jolting or even a crash.
Most cars being produced could only reach 20 to 30 kilometers per hour. First, cars were still experimental, and most people were unfamiliar with them. This unfamiliarity indirectly forced manufacturers to reduce speeds for safety.
Second, the high failure rate of early cars meant they couldn't go very fast anyway.
Sometimes, the fuel tank would only be half empty when the car would already break down and become immobile.
In this context, a car designed by Benz and Diesel that could hit 90 km/h and cruise steadily at 40 km/h for seven hours was groundbreaking.
If cost and manufacturing time could be addressed, the performance alone was enough to bring it to market. Even the famous Ford Model T would struggle to outperform it.
After observing the two speed-related tests, Arthur, Benz, and Diesel were all satisfied.
As for the next set of tests—stability and failure rate across various terrains—those would require extended trials on different road types and would be carried out another day.
But based on the first two tests alone, the new car had already proven itself more than capable and met Arthur's expectations for a vehicle of this era.
Now it all depended on whether Benz and Diesel could fully grasp the assembly line concept and modify their factories accordingly.
If the transformation succeeded, Arthur's automobiles would leap ahead of the Model T and gain an early foothold in the global car market.
With that thought, Arthur turned to Diesel and Benz, smiling as he said, "Mr. Diesel, Mr. Benz, I'm very pleased with this car. I hope you'll study the assembly line concept as soon as possible and begin refitting your factories. If you succeed in lowering production costs and manufacturing time, you'll both be heroes of Australia."
(End of Chapter)
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