Ford is using its improved JD Power quality ranking to discuss what went wrong in recent years, including overreliance on automated systems in production and design. The Verge reports that the company had to hire back former engineers to fix mistakes those systems helped create.
The case is a cautionary example for AI and automation programs. Automation can speed workflows, but it can also amplify errors when it replaces expert review before systems are robust enough.
For manufacturers, the lesson is that institutional knowledge is part of the control system. Removing it too quickly can create costs that only appear later in quality metrics.