How has the auto industry changed over the last few years to fit in with a worldwide preference for green living and sustainability? Auto engineers are driving that change.
Sustainability has become a buzzword all over the western hemisphere. We are dedicating our daily lives to less waste, better environmental output, and greener working practices. This extends to include the things we make and the automobiles we drive in. Auto engineering has a huge impact on sustainability, with roles in this sector driving change in the way we design and maintain our vehicles.
Today we want to discuss the role of the auto engineer in the development of greener transport. What got us this far and where will the electric vehicle go next?
Sustainable Automotive Engineering Has Impacted Recent Car Designs
There can be no doubt that the sustainability of automotive engineering has impacted the design of recent cars. The electric and hybrid vehicle are just two examples of how redesigning something we see as an everyday necessity, can create a more environmentally positive model. Yes, they have limited battery life and yes, there are problems with the humanitarian elements of mining cobalt and lithium for electric batteries. However, if we think about any new technology, it takes a few years to iron out all those bugs.
Sustainable automotive engineering has had a massive impact on the manufacturing and design of these new vehicles. Where we worry about lithium mines, there are already countless engineers in Manufacturing Jobs and research roles who are already developing alternatives. Technology is advancing so quickly that we can expect lithium to be a thing of the past as electrical engineers develop new battery models. Think of engineers as the inventors of today, and you start to get an idea of how far they can help humanity progress towards a greener future.
What does the Future of Auto Engineering and Design Look Like?
At the moment, oil and gas are the two main components of fuel for our vehicles. In the future, this will turn towards lithium and electricity. With the government urging businesses to reduce emissions, more and more car manufacturers are going electric, solar, or better. Volkswagen are building an entirely new plant to build vehicles based off this, to try to meet sustainability targets.
As well as becoming more sustainable, we also need to think about vehicles becoming more ergonomic. If a car drives at the exact right speed for its gear, or if it takes turns in a fuel-saving manner, driving becomes more cost-effective. To this end, car manufacturers have long been interested in automatic automotives. Self-driving vehicles have the potential to be safer, as well as saving on fuels. Since the vehicles we are building right now are already electric, it isn’t such a big leap anymore to creating autonomous vehicles. Imagine the implications? With a car that could pick you up when called, why would you ever need a taxi again?
Automotive engineers are changing the car industry, but they are also changing the way we live.