Materials for Next Generation Automobiles

Smart Technologies and the Demand for Lightweight, Fuel-efficient Vehicles Spur Growth of Future Automobiles Materials

A wave of bad press about the irreversible effects automobile emission has got governments and legislative bodies across the globe scurrying to minimize the damage to the environment. They have introduced emission standards as well as regulations regarding the use of recycled materials in the manufacture of automobiles, compelling auto manufacturers to use more recycled materials as well as advanced, lightweight materials that decrease vehicle weight and fuel consumption. End users' partiality toward fuel-efficient vehicles will boost the sales of automobiles, encouraging carmakers to persist with their new designs. "Automobile materials manufacturers have rung in changes in manufacturing and research and are now concentrating on creating more lightweight materials that are structurally strong," says the analyst of this research. "This is emphasized by research activities in the fields of high-strength steel, aluminum, magnesium, and particularly, polymeric composites." Another distinct improvement is the use of nanotechnology to create more smart and electronics-based material systems that greatly aid in creating safer, more sophisticated automobiles.

However, there are several barriers to the full-fledged adoption of these innovative materials, the primary ones being the high costs of raw materials and manufacturing expenditure for the structural materials. The electronics and smart materials segment is challenged to resolve cost-effective manufacturing and integration issues, while inadequate expertise in the production and development of newer materials such as nanocomposites could cause their stock to diminish. "Mass production of lightweight materials such as magnesium alloys and polymeric composites poses a challenge as there is no industrial experience in this sector, causing manufacturers to resort to more trial-and-error techniques to achieve manufacturing targets of quality and numbers," notes the analyst. "Such haphazard methods subsequently increase production costs in terms of materials, overhead expenditure, and manpower costs." There are also insufficient regulations and standards to adhere to when nanotechnology enters the fray.

Major industry participants and legislative bodies are looking to overcome these hurdles through mergers and collaborative programs among automobile makers, material manufacturers, and researchers from universities and research institutions. They are also investing heavily in R&D activities and establishing emission standards to keep pace with consumer demands and conserve the environment. "Material manufacturers need a more detailed understanding of the properties and characteristics of their materials before they are produced, and this can be achieved through agreements and collaborations with material researchers from research institutions across the globe," remarks the analyst. "Newer materials should go through a full cycle of basic research, applied research, as well as pilot plant testing before they are commercialized on a mass-production basis to allow a more detailed understanding of these materials." Meanwhile, the introduction of a more functional material recycling system will aid cost-effective manufacturing, as it will reduce the cost of raw materials as well as ease the procurement process. With a more structured and well-defined recycling process, it will be simpler to lower the cost of raw materials than to find newer sources of these materials and process them.

Technologies

The following technologies are covered in this research:

• Smart materials
• Self-healing materials and coatings
• Nano-electromechanical systems (NEMSs)
• Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMSs)
• Polymeric composites