Environmental Challenges Facing the American Auto Industry
• The global competition in the industry
• New technology for powering the product that industry produces
• The effect of emissions on the environment and government reactions
• The consumer opinions about the product the industry produces
The Environmental Challenges Facing the American Auto Industry According to the Environmental Protection article at www.eponline.com, it states that the environmental issues top the list of challenges in the automotive industry, outranking the cost reduction for the first time in 14 years. The survey was conducted by DuPont and the Society of the Automotive Industry. The survey results included the following results and statistics:
In 10 years, vehicles will run on bio-based diesel fuel (27 percent); petroleum-based diesel (20 percent), and E85 (20 percent). Only 18 percent predict gasoline will dominate.
For the fifth consecutive year, alternatively powered vehicles are predicted to have the greatest impact on the industry. Sixty percent selected alternatively powered vehicles in 2008, while 15 percent selected safety features and 16 percent selected electrical/electronic advances.
Fifty-four percent of respondents say that fuel-efficient vehicles with reduced environmental impact are important to consumers. Forty-one percent say enhanced safety and 37 percent say improved comfort and convenience are important to consumers.
Global Competition in the auto industry
Introduction Automobile usage has increased in America and elsewhere in the world. In a research done by Sutherland, J., et al. (2004) “The US has a contributed to 200 million passengers in cars and light truck over the past few years. Further in 1990, studies showed that US cars increased six times faster than human population. The leaders in the automotive industry must adopt some key elements to ensure success in this fast-moving environment. They must invest in knowing their markets, building brands, adapting product strategies and taking long-term view on their goals and objectives. This paper outlines some of the key factors which should be considered. Environmental factors automotive designers and engineers have always said the main threats in the American Automotive industry are the environmental factors such as fuel economy and the clean air regulations. Automotive Emission posed different problems than manufacturing discharges such as coal smoke. Increased fossil-fuel emission has resulted from the million car increase. Irritation smog, which is comprised of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, sulfur oxide and other various chemical mixtures are cited in major cities such as Los Angeles. These auto emissions are also said to cause headaches, visual pollutions, contribute to lung cancers and other respiratory disease. In the end, the engineers have designed cars that are better environmental performers, cost effective and fuel efficient to reduce the environmental
The dependency on transportation in today’s society is quite remarkable. There are many forms that people take advantage of everyday including: planes, trains, and automobiles. Unfortunately, these diverse varieties of transportation do not run on imagination. For automotive vehicles, the most prevalent material used to operate are fossil fuels. There is a popular concern with the abundant reliance on these fossil fuels, which are a nonrenewable resource. The controversial usage has opened the discussion to alternative opportunities for fuel sources that, potentially, can replace the current fossil fuel being used in automotive vehicles. When considering the current market of cars, many have complaints in gas powered automobiles. There are many problems, commonly discussed, with emissions. Cars have a tendency to be harmful to the environment, and expensive to use frequently. This is where the alternatively powered cars are introduced into the conversation. There are multiple vehicles that can replace the prevalently operated, gas powered cars. However, alternatively powered vehicles must be considered in the same aspects a consumer would think about when buying a normal car. The buyer of automobiles, in the current market, look at the necessities that come with the maintenance and upkeep the car requires. Price, maintenance costs, insurance, incentives, and quality of life are
As a car enthusiast myself, I love the internal combustion engine, but electric cars are absolutely the future. Electric cars provide the efficiency that we have lacked for decades. The environmental impact is extremely reduced and on average, the cost per mile is less. Going full electric is the next step after hybrids in vehicle efficiency. While we have preliminary examples such as Tesla, many other companies are beginning to produce flagship electric vehicles. Electric is also the future of performance vehicles. The instant torque that electric motors provide outclasses almost all combustion engines. BMW just announced their future plans to produce performance electric and I expect many other manufacturers to follow suit. As more and more cars are produced our charging technology and infrastructure will likely expand. This will make cross country trips in electric vehicles a lot more accessible. While many consumers are weary of the technology at this point, I predict that as the technology develops and more cars are put into production, consumers will open up to the idea and electric will become the new norm in car culture. Compared to combustion engines, electric is quiet, efficient, fast, and will likely become universal on the
Environmental concerns have been raised from time to time because of the dependency on the gasoline-fueled engine as the chief auto powertrain technology. This has resulted in exposing many automobile users to unpredictable prices of fuel. These issues were, however, the reason for
There are new technologies in automotives out there now. For example, there is the electric car. The only problem with this is that the car needs to be plugged in and can only run for four to six hours at a time, making it hard for long distance travel. Another example is a vehicle that uses a combination of a gasoline and electric engines. They call it a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). This particular vehicle used no gas while idling and the gasoline engine turns off while the vehicle is stopped. As a result, this vehicle uses less gasoline and the tank lasts longer. The electric motor boosts acceleration so not as much gasoline is used. The HEV has a regenerative braking system that recharges the battery. This vehicle emits half of what an ultra low emission vehicle does, so is much better for the environment. It is already possible that by the year 2003 this type of vehicle will cost less because of various state and national tax incentive plans to lower the cost significantly. This has already been accepted in Maryland
Everyday 85.8% of Americans drive to work, (McKenzie) whether it be carpooling or driving alone. Everybody knows that coal and gas won't last forever, but what will we use when they run out? The answer is all around us, it could be wind power, nuclear power, or even new biofuels. Whatever we decide on using, we are going to need to choose it quickly.
This report will focus on the environmental challenges that the American automobile industry is facing today. First, we will discuss global competition for American automobile manufacturers. Next, we will look at new technologies that are revolutionizing the automobile industry. Then, we will consider the effect of automobile emissions on the environment and what the US government is doing to try to regulate this. Finally, we will discuss consumer opinions about the “American-made” automobile.
The American Auto Industry has grown ever since it 's upgraded in the early 1900s. “Although the design for the modern car was produced in Germany and France in the late 1800s, Americans controlled the industry in the first half of the twentieth century. Henry Ford innovated mass production systems that enhanced model, with Ford, General Motors and Chrysler beginning as "the Big Three auto firms by the 1920s ,(Foner - Garrity 1991)" But this manufacturing has continually been one of the best manufacturing for environmental concerns and risks around the world, particularly in the United States. Many of the concerns in this industry include; global race, modern technology for controlling the product, the impacts of emission on the environment and the government’s answer, as well as customer sentiments about the outcome.
The automobile industry is occupying a special place in the world economy. Since its creation by the end of the nineteenth century, automobile has got a tremendous expansion worldwide and in the United States in particular, so much so that the country witnessed the fastest development of the automobile and the emergence of world largest automobile manufacturers. In this paper, we are going to analyse the environmental challenges facing the American auto industry through the following environmental facets; the global competition in the industry, New technology for powering automobile, the effect of emissions on the environment and government reactions to this and consumer opinions about this product.
challenges, however, are the most difficult ones to face and overcome. Some environmental issues that
Therefore, engineers and car manufacturers are not fixing the problem as a whole with their efforts to revolutionize automobiles, but every step forward counts. Instead of being content with the advancements, car manufacturers and engineers should continue to explore the world of environmentally safe opportunities to bring forward into the public eye.
Did you know that by 2020 all gas stations will have been replaced by electric charge stations, this is thanks to electric cars taking the world by storm. So why are electric cars so popular? Aside from the obvious environmental benefit, EV’s are much safer due to their higher crash and battery safety standards. There are also many financial benefits including federal and local tax credits, as well as environmentally sustainable manufacturing practices. Electric cars are still a relatively new concept and do have their flaws, however, Electric car are in many ways superior to petroleum cars with significantly improved efficiency, exceptional safety rating, and
In this day and age people argue more often about which kind of car is better overall; is it the internal combustion engine, ICE, or hybrid car? Consumers are led to believe through advertisements and online articles that hybrids are a better buy because of their reduced impact on the environment, and ease of use. These reasons are in fact false because hybrid cars are no better for the environment because of their production emissions and other variables.
The words pollution and automobile are synonymous, and as long as vehicles still use fossil fuels to run, that won’t change. Consumers, communities, and the environment are key stakeholders the auto industry has to consider when it comes to pollution. More energy-efficient, hybrid or electric vehicles can increase customer satisfaction and add to the company’s business performance. For instance, fuel consumption is an assumption of performance and is very important for consumers. Thus, automotive companies have to come up with great designs with minimal consumption of resources and raw materials; engines that give more mileage and less fuel consumption. Given that consumers are the most important stakeholders, communities of these consumers also want vehicles with the lowest emissions possible with hopes of keeping the air around them clean and healthy. Once again, these informal bands and communities of consumers have large amounts of power based on buying power alone, and can significantly impact an automobile company’s business.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY IN AMERICA The development of automobile industry in America started in 1896, when Henry Ford built the first American car. With the invention of the automobile and the mass production techniques of Henry Ford, which made the cars affordable, the American economy has been transformed by this key element in its prosperity. Tens of thousands of jobs were created as the industry grew. Workers were required for the assembly lines on which they were constructed. Part by part, Ford 's model Ts became the first most popular, affordable, mass produced cars. The steel industry and machine tool makers also flourished as the automotive industry required ever-increasing supplies and components for the engines, chassis and other metal fixtures of the cars. Beyond these basics, every car needed a battery, head lights, interior upholstery and paint. Entirely new businesses, or subsidiaries of existing business, were created to meet the needs of the automobile industry as it grew incrementally year after year. The automobile industry has a huge impact on the US economy, because its total sales consist of 3.7% of the Nation’s GDP. Great concern for the economy and global warming has caused the automobile industry in America to develop alternative fuel vehicles. Toyota and Honda Japan started a pilot project in 2001 that sees the manufacturing of a hybrid car with an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. Global Competition: The U.S.