Abstract
Talking about lightweight design and technically sophisticated products necessitates talking likewise about materials and material engineering. For none of the features of an automobile could be realised without the aid of materials.
But this is nothing new! A thousand years ago, people were already beginning to actually devise materials. We were no longer satisfied with the natural properties of materials and set out to create and utilise synthetic materials that were optimally suited to their respective use.
The three criteria that determine the success of a product, then as now, are
- material (properties)
- construction (design)
- and the production process
The integrated focus on each of these criteria will enable us to continue to draw on new potential in car-making technology in future. Lightweight design, coupled with material engineering, is one of Europe's key technologies.