Plastics News Europe - June 2019 - 4

Reflection

Driving change

lastics and their use in the automotive
industry continue to be a source of
debate and development. Debate,
because this industry has long been a
metal stronghold; development because as
new technologies emerge, sophisticated materials able to fulfil the new requirements
of the industry are urgently needed.
New metals are being introduced, as
are advanced engineering plastics solutions - although these have long been
regarded with suspicion by diehard steel
traditionalists.
Change, however, is in the air. Due to
new technologies, cars look and sound
different from how they used to. Global trends are impacting the emotions
associated with driving.
Car sharing, an urban trend gaining
momentum among the millennial generation, eliminates the status associated with
ownership. Noiseless electric drives do away
with any rumble or roar from the engine. Today's sensor-studded cars offer permanent
connectivity rather than temporary sanctuary
from always being 'on'. Ongoing developments in autonomous vehicle technology will

EDitoriAL

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ultimately wrest control from the driver.
The impact of these trends is being felt
across the board in the industry, including in
materials design. As a consequence, enormous opportunities are opening up for innovative plastics solutions, as this issue of Plastics News Europe shows. These will also be
the topic of discussion at the upcoming
two-day Automotive Materials Summit in
Munich next week.
Durable, easy-to-clean materials are
required in cars that are being shared.
Lighter cars are needed to meet stringent emission regulations. The batteries in the new, silent electric cars are a
huge area of development. New lightweight and fire-retardant materials are
needed for thermal management and
electro-magnetic shielding. Sensors of
all kinds need to be integrated into autonomous vehicles to enable the perception,
planning and control needed for self-driving.
ContiTech CEO Hans Jürgen Duensing has
said that plastics need a 'higher acceptance' in
the automotive industry. Carmakers and the
plastics industry need to embrace the new automobility. Plastics will make it happen.

Keith E Crain
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Chris Crain

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Plastics News Europe - June 2019

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