In terms ofreliability impact, more and more work is done in the lab, typically on a dynamometer (a device which measures force), to prove the major mechanical systems on the car.
The GAARDIAN consortium, which completes its work this month, has developed equipment to provide real-time information about the reliabilityof GPS at airports or other sensitive locations using networks of probes.
But tracking costs from one work center to another or entering shipping data for hundreds of packages before UPS arrives requires speed and reliability.