Smart efficiency remains key automotive trend

Smart efficiency is the most important trend in the automobile industry. This is the outcome of the “Global Automotive Trends Report 2015” study published by the market research enterprise Prime Research on the occasion of the World Car Awards. 75 leading automotive journalists across the world were questioned about current developments and topics for the Trends Report promoted by Autoneum as Presenting Partner of the World Car Awards.

Despite the current low oil prices, experts continue to see continuous innovation-driven efficiency enhancements in vehicle development and production as the most important trend in the automobile industry. This is one of the most significant results of the “Global Automotive Trends Report 2015” that is based on a survey of the latest automotive trends carried out annually among international automobile journalists.

Smart innovations to meet future requirements
Consumers, industry and authorities are today placing increasingly higher requirements on modern vehicles: optimum efficiency and a correspondingly low environmental burden coupled with a simultaneous enhancement of driving performance, safety and comfort are expected. Automobile manufacturers and suppliers work hand in hand to put appropriate solutions into practice. The focus of vehicle development lies on the use of innovative and multifunctional lightweight materials that not only reduce the vehicle weight and hence fuel consumption and emissions but at the same time also provide highest possible noise protection.

As the market leader in acoustic and thermal management for vehicles, Autoneum offers noise and heat-reducing components and systems the weight of which is up to 50 percent lower than that of conventional products thanks to the use of highly innovative materials. For instance, Autoneum’s lightweight engine encapsulation made of Theta-FiberCell provides optimum thermal protection while absorbing unwanted internal and external noise. Moreover, the storage of heat in the engine ensures that less fuel is needed at the next cold start, thereby further reducing CO2 emissions. The engine encapsulation accordingly meets customer and consumer-specific requirements and supports automobile manufacturers in meeting the applicable legal requirements. Thanks to the outstanding acoustic properties, integrated thermal insulation and resulting high temperature stability, Theta-FiberCell already today meets future challenges of acoustic and thermal management. Depending on the application, components made of Theta-FiberCell have a proportion of recycled fibers of up to 60 percent. Smart innovations from Switzerland are therefore making an important contribution to the future of the automobile.

About the study
The “Global Automotive Trends Report 2015” compiled for the World Car Awards is based on a survey of 75 international specialist journalists on various developments and topics in the automobile industry. The Trends Report published by Prime Research is promoted by Autoneum as Presenting Partner of the World Car Awards. The complete “Global Automotive Trends Report 2015” will be presented at the World Car Awards prize ceremony on April 2, 2015 at the New York International Auto Show.