sept. 6, 2017
9.35 am to 10.15 am
Think Composites, Think Automotive, Think Future! More Composites, better car
Automobile is moving at high pace, pushed by:
- new geopolitics: China has become in one decade the first automotive market in the world;
- new environment: Paris accord, depollution of large cities;
- new behaviours: car sharing, soft transportation, public transport;
- new technologies: electrification, ADAS, connectivity, support of car sharing;
Materials choice is a key element of the design and engineering of a car.
It conditions the weight, safety, comfort and cost of the vehicle.
A major trend is the smart use of a mix of materials.
Composite materials are very well positioned to respond to the challenges of the future:
GFRP (Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastics) for mass-production cars and CFRP (Carbon Fibre cars) for Premium cars.
This lecture is presented in connection with display of innovative automotive parts on the “Automotive Innovation Pole”.
sept. 3, 2019
9:35 am to 10:15 am
Together let’s enhance the automotive future
In recent years, the automotive industry has experienced a revolution.
The consumer revolution with a market epicentre which has moved to China.
The revolution of the way to consume vehicles, with the boom of mobility services.
The revolution of technologies (electrification, connectivity, autonomous vehicles).
The revolution of decision-making processes that govern these technological choices (stronger implication of governments).
However, the automobile product by itself is still today at the beginning of its mutation. The automobile is still a four wheels vehicle, with a steering wheel, seats and engine, in a steel box surrounded by plastic parts.
But the automobile in the next 20 years will dramatically change and the composites industry will drive these changes!
Innovations in the composites will unfreeze the design, production and consumption modes of vehicles.
This lecture will present the ways these innovations will lead to development of composites in the automotive industry.
Together, let’s enhance the automotive future!
sept. 6, 2017
10.15 am to 11.00 am
Towards lightweight vehicles: design and technology stakes
As mainstream worldwide car OEM, PSA manage the average weight of its products with attention and plan to go on saving weight from a generation to another. In order to reduce the average weight of the cars, all tracks are explored: design optimization, aluminium and composite implementation.
So far, the first technological step stands as aluminium until composite become competitive for high volume production. Actually, in one hand, composite is already competitive for a few specific technical perimeters: tailgate and rear floor. In the other hand, there is still some way for composite to be competitive in a larger area of products.
sept. 5 & 6, 2018
9:30 am to 9:35 am
Welcome address
sept. 3, 2019
9:30 am to 9:35 am
Welcome address
sept. 6, 2017
9.30 am to 9.35 am
Welcome address
