Abstract

This paper investigates why material throughput remains high in the UK automotive industry when there are opportunities for material efficiency improvements. Informed by socio-technical studies of automobility, the paper emphasises the importance of recognising how decisions regarding material use are always shaped by more than simply cost considerations. Drawing on industry interviews, six interconnected socio-technical factors are identified that guide the vehicle design and manufacturing process. These are: (1) customer preferences; (2) market positioning; (3) techno-economic feasibility; (4) supply chain feasibility; (5) regulation and (6) organisational attributes. These factors can provide insights into the current operating context of the UK automotive industry and help explain why the average material intensity of vehicles and vehicle throughput are increasing. Overall, the paper shows that the efficiency of material use in the UK automotive industry is the outcome of complex and advanced design and manufacturing processes. Understanding these processes and the factors that guide them can potentially increase the likelihood of the automotive industry adopting material efficiency initiatives. S. Cooper is supported by a UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) PhD studentship (reference EP/L504920/1). Professor J.M. Allwood and Dr B.J. Doody by grant number EP/N02351X/1. None of the funding sources were involved with conducting the research.

Abstract

In this century, global on-road passenger vehicles raised rapidly with concerns regarding of air pollutions, greenhouse, climate change, economical and human life safety. However, what are the new vehicles emission standards implementation regulation involved? How can new emission regulation impact vehicle performance and environment pollution reductions? What is (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure - WLTP)? How can (WLTP) regulation promote improvement to vehicle quality in reduction of emission to lower level possible and add more performance to the vehicles for open market? What is the real-world on-road (Real world Drive Emission- RDE) test new emission regulation and its demand? Why vehicle manufactures should present both emission level of laboratorial engine emission level and vehicle (RDE) emission level in EU? Presenting an accurate vehicle pollutant determination due to new EU regulation procedure of (WLTP) will help the consumer identifying the regulation cost fee and tax in registration the vehicle. Methodology based on comparative EU regulation assessment and (WLTP) regulation vehicle emission control technologies assessment. The paper focus on viewing, the potential of pollution regulation (WLTP) for vehicle emissions reductions. Provide an outline of the status of the EU vehicle pollution emission regulations information and identify priorities options and recommendations to the introduction of the (WLTP). Offering information gridline data for researchers in future study for the strict pollution regulation adopted by European countries and its impact on future academic study of vehicle emission experimental process in non-applicable countries, contribute the procedure process of (RDE) emission implementation test within (WLTP) to be familiar by researchers for future intended joining the regulation. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd. The author would like to thank University Putra Malaysia and Universiti Malaysia Pahang (www.ump.edu.my) for providing research facilities and grant. The study is supported by GP-IPS research grant from UPM with project code GP-IPS 9525100 and FRGS grant under MOE-UMP RDU160152.