AL_n5_OTTOBRE_2016

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Events
(Photo: Alessandra Dosselli)
Changes in the Automotive
Industry
byGiovanniMèllori
More aluminium and light metals,
self-driving cars and a long term
outlook for the widespread use
of electric vehicles. The 46th
FARO Meeting describes future
scenarios for the
automotive industry
steel on the market today. This is not a casual remark, since
the analysis of demand and use of different materials was
in turn central in the reflections of the FARO Club members.
In his turn, Pete Kelly, managing director, LMC Automotive,
talked about a rapidly changing supply model. In a
context where 92 million cars are manufactured and registered,
mostly in Asia and China, there is a great expectation
for self-driving cars. This is a dream which, as many
other speakers mentioned, is attracting players with such
varied backgrounds as Google or Ericsson. But it needs an
environment, in terms of infrastructures, services, connections
and sensors, in order to work at its best. And it
also requires a cultural change, since those who own a car
enjoy most of all driving it. All things considered, there is
a need for a fertilization or cross-contamination of competences,
which is the reason behind the entrance on the
marketofsuchdiverseplayers.Digitalizationisthemain
player and if today digital elements account for 40% of
a vehicle’s entire high-tech endowment, this percentage
is destined to grow. We should also remember that digital
technology and electronics have been present on cars
forsometimenow,asaresultofalongperiodofresearch
work, but they took years before their use became com-
AspreparationsareunderwayforthenextMeeting
planned for April 6th-7th 2017, the FARO Club
MeetingattheKilometroRossoScienceParkin
Bergamo on October 19th-20th once more focusedontheautomotiveworld,thankstothecontribution
of a gathering of international experts. The meeting
began with the debate on the current scenario, moderated
by Claudio Mus, R&D director, Endurance Overseas,
who recalled how this sector still absorbs 60-70% of all the
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