The Impact of Automation on Society and Economy

The assignment provided is a collection of references to academic papers, books, and online articles related to the topic of automation. It includes sources from various fields such as economics, sociology, robotics, and engineering. The references cover topics like job displacement, income inequality, innovation, and the future of work. The document also mentions collaborations between companies like Ford and Walmart in designing automated-vehicle delivery systems. Overall, the assignment appears to be related to a course on automation, innovation, and economic crisis.

INNOVATION

Table of Contents
Table of Contents.............................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Analysis of automation with respect to engineering....................................................................1
Origin of innovation.....................................................................................................................3
Impact of innovation on society...................................................................................................4
Themes of sustainability..............................................................................................................6
Industry best practice...................................................................................................................8
Challenges faced in producing required information.................................................................10
Recommendations and lessons learnt........................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Innovation is a solution to problems that are faced by people. It is like an application of
new idea and new imaginations. It makes the existing process easier and better. Automobile
industry deals with designing, manufacturing, developing, selling and marketing of motor
vehicles.
Overview of chosen innovation: Automation is a technology which is used to control
equipment without any involvement of human assistance. It includes a process of switching
system in factories of equipment like boilers, ovens, stabilizer, drilling, labeling, etc. it makes the
system to operate automatically and efficient in manufacturing products in same proportion.
Automation makes benefits to industry in operations like manufacturing, transportation, defense,
controlling, communication, etc.
Overview of chosen company: Ford Australia is a subsidiary of Ford motor company of united
states. It was founded on 1925 by Henry Ford. It has headquartered in Richmond, Melbourne.
There are approx 1300 employees work in company. It manufactures different models of car like
Hatchback, mid- size, large car, luxury car, SUV, etc.
This report discusses the origin of innovation in automobile industry. It frames aspects of
sustainability which helps to address issues. It outlines challenges that are faced during
implementation of innovative technology. Also, recommendations are also included in this report
which will also discuss about the lessons learned with new technologies.
MAIN BODY
Analysis of automation with respect to engineering
There is need to understand the relevancy of automation in context to engineering
aspects. With technological advancements and open economy, the computerization has assisted
in allowing the usage of software by making the work convenient and easier. According to
Lacity, Willcocks, & Craig (2015) innovation has always been important for the auto-mobile
industry in maintaining the brand image, sustainability factor and making customers' lives easier.
Herein the application of hydraulics, pneumatics, robotics and machines utility has been
considered to bring creativity and enhancing the energy efficiencies to safeguard the
environment. There are several aspects which impact the product engineering and assist in cost
optimization with high levels of resources allocation. For instance, the team of engineers at Ford
has completed a project at one of its factories in Cologne, Germany. Co-bots are placed with

around 4000 factory workers to work in collaboration for increasing the effectiveness. This
initiative helped the company in creating something new and using the minds to bring innovative
features.
Moreover, Hémous & Olsen (2014) critiqued on the other side of innovation which
requires both skills and capital and it is important for establishing the quality, productivity and
safety of the equipments, machines and transportation vehicles. It has been seen that due to lack
of financial assistance, many good and innovative projects has not been able to get started only.
Additionally, the automation in this sector might take up jobs and leaving the humans without
any financial support. Over dependency on the automated vehicles and onset of bots would
impact as an unpleasant labour in all the types. People would become handicapped as has been
shown with the invention of smartphones. On similar grounds, this automation concept leads to
influence the individuals and the organisations for using them to attain the economic benefits but
adversely affecting the cognitive capacities and human's contribution at the societal levels. The
capital expenditure is already high in this innovation concept and this is mainly due to the testing
part where skilled individuals are required.
In context to the above, the role of engineers is important to implement the innovation
planning on the basis of systematic guidelines. The technical design is the conceptual stage to
solve the real life issues which is to be analysed in detailed manner. Innovation and engineering
go hand in hand where the team focuses on building something sustainable, durable and
customer driven. They aid in giving effective solutions to develop an optimum cost benefit ratio
by applying the machine systems on automated levels. A group of multidisciplinary individuals
together put a strategic planning to create something new for achieving the revenues and profits.
Their participation is integral in planing process including the allocation of resources and
manpower and designing the automated vehicles using physical skills (Gundling, 2016). The
mathematical modelling techniques and the computer based drawing software has been used
ideally for outlining the automation as an innovator conceptual framework adopted by the
engineers. Thus, this automation innovation came into existence through employing both the
hard and physical skills of individuals with technical knowledge and passion to build fresh and
constructive inventions.

Origin of innovation
Automation is an innovative technology that is used in initial process from designing
process to delivering of cars to retailers and customers. Automation system makes automobile
industry efficient in their manufacturing process and to make monitoring and controlling easier.
Earlier, it is very difficult for engineers in Ford Australia to manufacture parts of car in same
proportion and with same efficiency (Shelton IV, Harris & Beckman, 2018). It is very difficult
for engineers to solve the errors that occur in manufacturing process. But now with the
innovative technology of automation, it solves the technical problem and help engineer to make
the process qualitative. Automation is innovative technology researched by engineers only. They
implement human assistance in machines but needs only a switching button to start and stop the
process. Whole process is controlled and monitored on computer software with the help of
SCADA automation technology.
Term automation was first coined in automobile industry in 1946 to increase the
efficiency of controlling process in production sector. This term is not only limited to
manufacturing but also to maintaining quality by implementing human roles in machines. It deals
with both electrical and mechanical work and substitutes automatic machines in place of humans
(Biemans, 2018). Earlier, it was very difficult for engineers to find out the faulty area where fault
occurs. Detection of fault take a long time and every point is to be checked for finding fault.
Engineers face problems in this and fails to achieve business objectives on time. But with the
help of automation in automobile industry, faults can be detected easily because controlling and
monitoring is easier. Faults can be monitored on computer software and need not to check every
point. Computer technology highlight the area from where process is stopped. It makes easier for
engineers to perform and their task. It increases their work performance. Finding out such
innovative technology makes automobile industry efficient which don't consume too much time
for finding the reason of failure. Success is in hand of Ford with the implementation of
automation in their industrial process.
Generally, automation technology works on basis of user commands in a combination
with feedback process and then again execute the process to make it best. This technology uses
advance features of computer. A complex system is installed in implementation of automation
but to regulate and control it, is an easier process. It also makes security system effective. With
the help of sensors and actuators, any non normal behavior is detected and effects in a security

alarm which active security guards to take action against them. Sensors are very efficient part of
automation to make the system qualitative (Beller and et.al.,). Sensors are being used in
machines to detect the temperature level of equipment. While working of machines, they
dissipate heat which is unrequited and needs to maintain heating level. It can be easily controlled
with sensors.
Impact of innovation on society
Innovation has brought benefits to the human's life and make the life simpler and easier.
The society on the whole has always gained profits not only in economic aspects but also in
socio-cultural parameters. This concept led to radical changes in the auto-mobile industry and
affected the environment in constructive ways. Here the degree of flexibility has been attainable
to evaluate the measurements and authentic information in context to building something
different and can be controlled accordingly (W. O’Neill & McGinley, 2014. This automation
concept has been adopted and practised to maintain, monitor and use of the standardised
procedures, guidelines and instructions in more coherent modes to bring sustainable innovation.
It is beneficial for the companies to safeguard the sustainability component.
Additionally, the people has also gained multiple profits which has made their lives
convenient. The disabled people and the handicapped populace has been especially treated well
with the adoption of autonomous inventory. For the companies, innovative approaches and
practices have been leveraging both benefits of gaining competitive advantages and giving
services to the customers as well. This helped in maintaining the quality control with operational
planning of the company's taskforce (Wajcman, 2017). Alongside, this automation as innovation
led to take decisions in profound manner at both individual and organisational manner. For
instance, earlier the gear based cars were in use but with technological advancements, there has
been a shift towards autonomous cars or vehicles. This is due to driverless transportation
strategic illustration that led to bots innovation and use of robotic technology to build the world
of autonomous inventory.
Automation techniques has a great impact om society. All people are surrounded by
automation techniques and they are getting habitual of them. Automation technique that is used
for manufacturing process of car in automobile industry makes engineers careless and lazy
because their work is done by machines and in efficient way. So, they do not have to feel
stressed to make car parts. They have responsibility just to check the parts that they are

manufactured in desired need or not. But this easier approach in manufacturing influence
performance of engineers. There are some situations in which machines can't work like to design
a car which has automatic process of gearing, it requires creative thinking, intelligent skills of
engineers. It is not a work of machine. But with the implementation of automation, in influence
their skills which indirectly lead to loss for automobile industry.
Automobile industry has an ethical issue of maintaining security system in motor
vehicles. Security in car includes brakes, door locks, other electronic elements in car. This issue
makes engineers of Ford Australia in trouble. But with the implementation of automation
technology, it makes them stress free. Automation techniques has an option to make security
system efficient but it needs a creative thinking process to implement in manufacturing process.
Then, implementation process is carried through automation techniques. Security system is
responsible for causing accidental deaths. So to make brake, gear and steering system in efficient
way is necessary for engineers (Kogan and et.al., 2017).
Now again, automatic technique has a great impact on environment. Employees and
engineers who work in Ford Australia industry has a great influence on their health. Automation
techniques will use big size of machines and if a failure occurs, a major accident can happened
which is a risky factor for employees. Heat generated by machines also lead to breathing
problems to employees. Therefore, automobile industry makes sure to have insurance of
employees in advanced so that they can feel comfortable to work in automobile industry
environment.
Themes of sustainability
Sustainability and automation are inter connected for longevity and better version of the
future. This is possible through optimising the value and worth of the assets. For instance, Ford's
adopted a robust and concise framework for the assembly line to minimise the variations in the
regulatory and adaptability conditions. The focus was to inspire the taskforce to work for a 40
hour shift in a week in order to produce an efficient assembly line. This not made their standards
of living better but also took only 93 minutes assembly line which reflects upon the efficiency of
combining 10000 parts in the model Ts. Here the employees were given substantial amount of
wages and a bigger task of restructure of the 10000 parts into a 90+ minute assemblage. This is
clearly indicating that Ford had been and is still continuing the innovation works through a

collective team work which moved towards achieving the sustainability and success of
innovation concept (Sperling, van der Meer, & Pike, 2018).
Sustainability means a stable state for long time. It deals with needs of present and do not
impact on future generations. Automobile industry frames sustainability goals to employees to
maintain company profitability in such a manner than economic issues, social issues and
environment issues are ensured.
Economic:
Economic factors are analyzed at staring process only. This aspect of sustainability is too
much addressed because it is related to profit. Every industry works for earning profit only. Cost
that is involved in implementation of automation techniques in automobile industry is very high.
Because automobile industry deals with manufacturing of motor vehicles and parts that are
manufactured are bigger. So, maintenance cost and implementation cost is high but this cost is
only one time at the time of installing. This cost is overcome through efficient selling of car and
by having positive feedback from customers. This makes economic stability in automobile
industry. Investment cost is not too much barrier for Ford because faults are more intensive than
investment cost. So, reducing fault is majorly focused (Lusch, Nambisan, 2015).
Environment:
Before implementing changes, environmental issues are addressed because this can have
negative impact and can affect human life. Technologies which are used have side effect and can
cause human life into a risk. Hence, this aspect of sustainability deals with environmental issues
that effect the biosphere environment. Machines that are used for automation techniques in Ford
is environment friendly. Ford focused on manufacturing car parts of waste material. For
example, they make several parts with a mixture of silica, wheat straw, rubber and other
elements. This is mostly waste materials that is being used for manufacturing of vehicle parts.
This makes sustainability for future purpose to have limited use of resources. This step leads
manufacturing process to cheap, lighter and sustainable.
Social:
This aspect of sustainability deals with social and ethical factors. Workplace environment
should be healthy and risk free for having sustainability for employees who work in automobile
industry. Physical as well as mental health is very important to have efficient work performance
in industry. Machines and tools that are used for implementing automation techniques in

automobile manufacturing process are not hazardous one that can lead to death. They are limited
to heating problems that can cause some effects in their health. Precaution tools are provided by
Ford company to make employees and engineers insured.
Industry best practice
The adoption of co-bots by the Ford has been proved innovative and beneficial in terms
of increasing productivity and quality as well. The technical team at Ford is using them
effectively and making the tasks and jobs at hand with more profit generation. It has been
demonstrated that these has helped in making the automation more proficient. In 2018, Ford has
signed a deal with Walmart and Postmates for designing and entire planing for gibing services in
groceries and other goods. Here, the objective is to build autonomous vehicles for conducting the
delivery to the customers in the near future (Ford and Walmart collaborate to design automated-
vehicle delivery, 2018). The advantages of using the co-bots involve minimal programming, low
space requirement, faster operable conditions and cost effective. This combination of using
automation and robotics has been proved useful, however there are few challenges that has
shown that there might be feasibility issues in using them for longer runs.
In regard to the same, Barclays has predicted that approximately 3 billion dollars is going
to spend on the purchasing of co-bots in all over the world. These are feasible for Ford up till
now, however there are no installation of co-bots at the factories in United States (Zaleski, 2016).
According to the Ford's management, these are necessary for bringing innovation but is not
useful in job reductions. This company's vision of blending man and machine would not be
fulfilled if adopted co-bots for complete assistance. Thus, innovation at Ford is related to making
changes for better sustainability and gaining loyal customer base. This is applicable through a
balance approach of delivering the automated vehicles on a large commercial production levels.
Henceforth, this automation would promote free time for the companies to encourage the
employees to out perform the competition in the existing marketplaces at both local and global
levels.
Automation technology is analyzed as best technology to provide qualitative parts of
vehicles to customers. Objective of automobile industry is to have efficient process and has less
number of failure. Engineers are more aligned to solve failure in less time. Automation

techniques like PLC and SCADA the best use for controlling and monitoring the process.
Engineers can control and make changes in process by sitting at home as well. This makes the
process easier. This practice is very efficient implementation of intelligent engineers. A very
complex structure is there to have automation techniques (Scerbo, 2018). It is a challenging task
for engineers in Ford to adopt automation but they overcome through it and successful in
designing and implementation of techniques. This automation makes benefits for them in
designing motor vehicles with best models as they are expecting.
Challenges faced in producing required information
Challenges are tasks that are faced by industry to achieve business objectives.
Automation is new technology and is very complex to design and implement, so, it causes so
many errors and difficulty for management team of Ford to adopt automation. For implementing
automation technology in automobile industry, engineers and management team face some
challenges which are described below:
Time management:
For adoption of innovative technology like automation in overall industry require too
much time and intelligence. It has problem for both management team and engineers. Limited
engineers are available at the initial process (Wong & Seet, 2017. At that time, it is very much
difficult for engineers to manage time between existing objectives to manufacture car parts and
also to implement automation technology in overall process. Time management become a
challenge for them and to achieve business objective within specified time is a task for them.
Skilled engineers:
At initial level, for installing automation technology in manufacturing for controlling and
monitoring purpose need skilled talented engineers who have knowledge of automation
installation procedure (Mukhopadhyay, 2015). This become a challenge for Ford industry to hire
and search for such engineers and to have a competitive advantage. Engineers are only solution
for implementing drivers of automation. They took a step to overcome this challenge to have
contact with university like Cambridge to have skilled and intelligent engineers. This step fulfill

their requirement and successful in implementing automation techniques (Kehoe and et.al.,
2015).
Cost:
For installing automation process in automobile industry, it involved too much cost.
Automation drivers like PLC, SCADA and variable drivers are expensive one. Also, cost
involved in installing them is also high because circuit implementation is complex. Engineers
have a very big role in implementing technology at limited cost. So this face of challenge
becomes a task for Ford managers to have profit margin level in such a limit that it overcomes
investment cost.
Selection:
This is a challenge for engineers to select a type of automation technology to adopt in
industry for making process effective and efficient. Sensors, PLC, SCADA, variable drivers, etc.
are present in automation technology. This put engineers in dilemma to select a efficient one
from them. This has been analyzed that individual technology will not give best results. It makes
difficulty for engineers to have use of all automation technologies which makes circuit designing
and implementation complex.
Recommendations and lessons learnt
Automation technology is analyzed as best technology to have efficient process of
manufacturing, labeling and designing motor vehicles. But, nowadays many more technologies
came and they can support automation technology to have effective results. Artificial intelligence
is one of them. It makes use of human brain in machines by learning techniques. It is like a
human brain in machines. AI is a technology in machines which can work like humans but make
outcome on the basis of logic that are defined in programming of machines. It has been
recommended for automobile industry to have applications of artificial intelligence too. This
makes their process easier and efficient. Artificial intelligence helps to take risky factors in
industry where human can not approach because of death risk (Baland, Bardhan & Bowles,
2018). This will help them to have experiments by using robots. New creative ideas need
experiments in regular period and AI techniques will help them in excessive manner. For the
future purpose, it is necessary to carry experiments to expand marketing, manufacturing process.
Public demand is changing which makes a challenge for research and development team to make

changes and fulfill customer needs. AI helps them to implement technology in less time and with
better output as compared to human. Robots are self guided, they use logic to input and provide
output accordingly. Logic's are well defined in machines by humans only. Humans can forget a
logic but machines cannot. Therefore, it is efficient to implement AI techniques with automation
in automobile industry.
Lessons that are learned from automation techniques that this technology is used for
making process efficient but not to make employees and engineers lazy. Technology is future
aspect for improving the existing process that is used in automobile industry. Earlier, engineer
face problems in making Car models as efficient as am expecting one. They do not have
designing tools earlier to make a design in advance and work accordingly. Another reason is of
failures in process of manufacturing. A challenge arises in front of engineers to detect fault and
recover it as soon as possible. But it takes too much time or days to recover the fault. It stops the
process and fails to achieve business objectives within specified limit. But, this automation
technology helps them a lot to detect the fault and in less time. It also helps them to not to stop
overall process. Other process in manufacturing goes in running (Acemoglu & Restrepo, 2017).
For example, in process of manufacturing of motor vehicles, if a fault occurs at labeling
machine, then, the overall process from melting of ores to manufacturing parts will not be
stopped. Engineers can detect fault easily by seeing at computer software and fault will be
recovered in too much less time. It saves energy and time of engineers. But one lesson is learned
from above challenges is that time management is very necessary to achieve business objectives.
Without managing time, work cannot be completed on time and it gets delayed day by day. Work
according to time schedule gives efficient results (Zervakis, 2018).
To implement automation technology in overall process of manufacturing from vehicle
designing to labeling and delivering of motor vehicles, skills and intelligence play an important
role. A single mistake can make a big loss for whole industry. By involving automation with
overall process costs too much. A fault can destroy the overall process. So, so much care is
considered in implementing every single step of automation. It can waste both time and money.
Full knowledge of automation makes the process efficient and helps engineers to make a
complex design to simple design.

CONCLUSION
This report summarized about innovation technologies that are used in automobile
industry. Automation technique is analyzed to make process efficient. Process of detecting faults
becomes easier in automation techniques. SCADA and PLC are analyzed as best drivers for
controlling and monitoring process. Technicians can control the process from sitting at home as
well. This process involved too much cost but makes the process qualitative. Customers are
trusted towards Ford company to have qualitative parts of motor vehicles and lead to good
security system. Ethical issues are addressed to have sustainability for future purpose. Time
management, cost, selection, skilled engineers are framed as challenges for engineers and
management team in implementing automation technologies. Computerization has assisted in
allowing the usage of software by making the work convenient and easier. Several aspects are
analyzed which impact the product engineering and cause to have assisted in cost optimization
with high levels of resources allocation. Application of hydraulics, pneumatic, robotics and
machines utility has been considered to bring creativity and enhancing the energy efficiencies to
safeguard the environment.

REFERENCES
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