Abstract
More than one-sixth of the U.S. gross national product is consumed by the cost of moving goods and people on the ground. Such a large volume of production entails enormous quantities of materials. Every year some 56 million tons of iron, steel, aluminum, plastic, and other materials are used up in the manufacture of cars and trucks. The relative importance of each material is determined by many factors, some of which have changed markedly in recent years. As a result the average vehicle now contains far more micro-alloyed high-strength steel, cast aluminum and fiber-reinforced plastic than it did a decade ago. The trend shows no sign of abating. Indeed, 10 years hence many cars may be made mostly of plastic. Engines and transmissions could contain significant quantities of magnesium, ceramics and new composite materials. Along with the changes in materials content have come dramatic shifts in the way vehicles are designed and built. 7 figures.
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