Innovation > Market and Technology Trends

Market and Technology Trends

At this section you will find specific information about automotive trends, in markets and technologies.
 

ATC Trend analyses

Topic: Manufacturing concepts and logistics complement and strengthen automotive innovations

Developments in manufacturing are very important for the automotive industry in Western Europe, developments to improve existing production processes and to make new production processes highly efficient. So produce the highest quality for the lowest costs.
Also developments to produce with lowest possible energy consumption, as well as CO2 ‘neutral‘ production processes and plants.
Methods as the ‘Toyota Production System’, with the well known terms as TPS, TPM, Lean-manufacturing and the six-sigma methodology are increasing in use, in most of the Automotive companies as OEM’s and Tier 1-2-3 suppliers.
Logistic developments as Just in Time in sequence deliveries of complete off line build modules by Logistic- or Total Service Providers, are mainly used and improved by car-manufacturers and implemented at most Truck manufacturers.

The complete article has been published in the ATC Promotive Oktober 2009 (www.atcentre.nl only available in Dutch)
 

Topic: Increased safety, efficiency and comfort using advanced software and electronics

New technologies are enabling new and improved applications. New sensor technologies, in combination with powerful processors, are providing the car “eyes”. Using advanced algorithms, the car can interpret the surrounding environment. This information enables many new safety and comfort applications.
With car2car communication we are at beginning of a revolution. With car2car communication, vehicles can exchange information and communicate with the road infrastructures. These communication technologies will enable a huge number of new safety, efficiency and comfort applications.

The complete article has been published in the ATC Promotive Oktober 2009 (www.atcentre.nl)




Topic: Automotive Materials and applications

In the automotive a lot of new materials are used or will be used in the coming years. Reasons behind the need for new materials mainly are : higher quality, lower cost, lower energy consumption in production, lower CO2 emissions during production and new or changed customer demands for renewable materials and weight reduction.

If you divide these materials in plastics, metals, mineral based materials, organic materials or combinations there are different developments ongoing:
- Plastics: Bio-based polymers, mono material composites, bio resins, natural fibers as composite material.
- Metals: Ultra-high strength low-alloy steels u(hsla), Ultra-high strength aluminum, Thixotropic magnesium.
- Mineral based materials: energy ‘neutral’ production methods.
- Organic materials: natural fibers such as hemp, flax and wood.

On top the functional and intelligent materials are coming up. nano technology such as coatings and sensors, solar foils, oled panels and displays, self healing coatings.

The complete article has been published in the ATC Promotive Oktober 2009 (www.atcentre.nl)
 

Market analyses

Russian automotive industry
Indian automotive industry


News
More information about Market and Technology trends could be found at the NEWS section.