The automotive industry and the environment : a technical, business and social future

The automotive industry currently faces huge challenges. The fundamental technological paradigm it relies on, volume production, has become progressively more unprofitable in the face of increasingly segmented niche markets. At the same time it faces increasing regulatory and social pressures to improve both the sustainability of its products and methods of production. Building on a wealth of research, The automotive industry and the environment addresses those challenges and how they can be met in producing a sustainable and profitable industry for the future. The authors first discuss the development of the automotive industry and the problems it currently faces. They then consider the solutions the industry can adopt. The book reviews trends in more environmentally-friendly technologies such as the use of more sustainable fuel sources and new types of modular design with built-in recyclability. However, these technologies can only be fully exploited if methods of manufacture change. The book also describes models of decentralised production, particularly the micro factory retailing (MFR) model, which provide an alternative to volume production and promise to be both more sustainable and more profitable. The automotive industry and the environment provides both a cogent diagnosis of the environmental and other problems facing the industry and a blueprint for a better future. It will be widely welcomed by the industry, policy makers and all those concerned with sustainable transport. Addresses the challenges facing the automotive industry, from the increasing unprofitability of volume production to regulatory and social pressures to improve environmental and product sustainability Examines how the automotive industry can meet the current challenges in producing a sustainable and profitable industry for the future Reviews trends in more environmentally-friendly technologies such as the use of more sustainable fuel sources and new types of modular design with built-in recyclability Contents......Page 4 C......Page 9 H......Page 11 L......Page 12 N......Page 13 S......Page 14 U......Page 15 Z......Page 16 1.1 Background......Page 18 1.2 Change and complexity – can business really afford to keep things simple?......Page 19 Z......Page 0 Contents......Page 24 C......Page 29 H......Page 31 L......Page 32 N......Page 33 S......Page 34 U......Page 35 Z......Page 36 1.1 Background......Page 38 1.2 Change and complexity – can business really afford to keep things simple?......Page 39 Contents......Page 44 C......Page 49 H......Page 51 L......Page 52 N......Page 53 S......Page 54 U......Page 55 Z......Page 56 1.1 Background......Page 58 1.2 Change and complexity – can business really afford to keep things simple?......Page 59 Contents......Page 64 C......Page 69 H......Page 71 L......Page 72 N......Page 73 S......Page 74 U......Page 75 Z......Page 76 1.1 Background......Page 78 1.2 Change and complexity – can business really afford to keep things simple?......Page 79 Contents......Page 84 C......Page 89 H......Page 91 L......Page 92 N......Page 93 S......Page 94 U......Page 95 Z......Page 96 1.1 Background......Page 98 1.2 Change and complexity – can business really afford to keep things simple?......Page 99 Contents......Page 104 C......Page 109 H......Page 111 L......Page 112 N......Page 113 S......Page 114 U......Page 115 Z......Page 116 1.1 Background......Page 118 1.2 Change and complexity – can business really afford to keep things simple?......Page 119 Contents......Page 124 C......Page 129 H......Page 131 L......Page 132 N......Page 133 S......Page 134 U......Page 135 Z......Page 136 1.1 Background......Page 138 1.2 Change and complexity – can business really afford to keep things simple?......Page 139 Contents......Page 144 C......Page 149 H......Page 151 L......Page 152 N......Page 153 S......Page 154 U......Page 155 Z......Page 156 1.1 Background......Page 158 1.2 Change and complexity – can business really afford to keep things simple?......Page 159 Contents......Page 164 C......Page 169 H......Page 171 L......Page 172 N......Page 173 S......Page 174 U......Page 175 Z......Page 176 1.1 Background......Page 178 1.2 Change and complexity – can business really afford to keep things simple?......Page 179 Contents......Page 184 C......Page 189 H......Page 191 L......Page 192 N......Page 193 S......Page 194 U......Page 195 Z......Page 196 1.1 Background......Page 198 1.2 Change and complexity – can business really afford to keep things simple?......Page 199 Contents......Page 204 C......Page 209 H......Page 211 L......Page 212 N......Page 213 S......Page 214 U......Page 215 Z......Page 216 1.1 Background......Page 218 1.2 Change and complexity – can business really afford to keep things simple?......Page 219 Contents......Page 224 C......Page 229 H......Page 231 L......Page 232 N......Page 233 S......Page 234 U......Page 235 Z......Page 236 1.1 Background......Page 238 1.2 Change and complexity – can business really afford to keep things simple?......Page 239 Contents......Page 244 C......Page 249 H......Page 251 L......Page 252 N......Page 253 S......Page 254 U......Page 255 Z......Page 256 1.1 Background......Page 258 1.2 Change and complexity – can business really afford to keep things simple?......Page 259 Contents......Page 264 C......Page 269 H......Page 271 L......Page 272 Building on a wealth of research, The Automotive Industry and the Environment addresses current challenges in the automotive industry and how they can be met. The authors discuss the development of the automotive industry and the problems it currently faces and consider possible solutions. The book reviews trends in more environmentally-friendly technologies such as the use of more sustainable fuel sources and new types of modular design with built-in recyclability. The book also describes new models of decentralised production, particularly the micro factory retailing (MFR) model, which provi The future of car manufacturing may be very different to the current practice of large scale, large assembly plant construction methods, based on economies of scale and marketing new vehicles with offering ever increasing complexity and value-added options. A sustainable future is envisaged in this ground-breaking study which concentrates on the recent research into alternative production methods with an emphasis on life-cycle management, recyclability and manufacture tailored to customer's individual specifications