The way cars are being manufactured these days is drastically different than it was just a couple of decades ago. Many new innovations are being made all the time for not just the manufacturing process, but also the materials that are being used. By improving the quality and sustainability of materials used in automobile creation, we can improve the lives of drivers and lessen our impact on the environment at the same time.
Here we are going to take a look at some of the materials being used, the recent innovations made and the benefits.
Starting With the Interior
Believe it or not, a lot of harmful and wasteful materials went into the making of the interior of older cars. Automakers are working on new materials to use for car interiors that are safer, healthier and overall just better options than the previous generations. For example, one of the greatest advancements that have really taken off is the use of synthetic materials to replace natural animal hide, such as leather. Not only is natural leather heavier, but it also produces harmful substances, it takes from animals that may or may not be sustainably poached, and it causes vehicles to use more gas.
Replacing natural leather with a lighter synthetic material that can be created with less waste, does not leak harmful compounds, does not harm animals, and uses less fuel is a much smarter option.
Using cast-off or waste products is another way that automakers are making headway in sustainability. Research is currently being done on parts like hoses that are made from tomato skin, bushings and other parts made from discarded lobster shells, and even coffee chaff being used with headlights. This could change the entire way that automobiles are designed on the interior and the way manufacturing materials are used and sourced for all sorts of things.
New Materials to Build Cars
Traditionally, cars have been made of high-strength metals like steel and carbon fibre due to their durability. However, there is only so much steel on the planet and manufacturing it to be used in a car is responsible for quite a bit of waste. To counter this, automakers are looking at new materials including aluminum and hybrid metals. These would be great alternatives, but one company has taken it a step further and created a vehicle frame, the portion that uses the rawest metal, out of a special plant that is said to be 5x stronger than steel.
If this were found to be a viable option for mass production, automakers could do away with using metals in the bodies of cars and use this material instead, which is many times more sustainable and easier to source.
Even More Innovations
As we speak more and more innovations are being made for cars, including the inside of cars, the outside, the engine, the tires, microchips and even fuel sources. As rules change and technology advances, we are going to see more and more new inventions that could change the way cars are made and lower our impact on the environment at the same time. These changes will make cars more efficient, and safer, and lower the number of car accidents.