Under the "autonomous driving" boom in the automotive industry: is the future of automotive plastics a good way to go?

At the same time, the development of smart cars will also have an impact on the future layout of the car
.
According to the division of SAE in the United States, other L4/L5 intelligent driving cars in the future can cancel the steering wheel, which will bring a more flexible internal layout of the car, such as the autonomous driving concept car 360C proposed by Volvo
.
The flexible and changeable molding ability and lighter weight of plastics make it more advantageous in this regard, especially thanks to the development of composite material technology in recent years, more new materials and new processing techniques will make the car interior more varied
.
And in the field of automotive exteriors, the trend of plastic applications is also increasing
.
The plastics currently used in automobiles are generally PP (polypropylene), PE (polyethylene), ABS (polyurethane), PMMA (polyetheretherketone), PA (nylon), PC (polycarbonate), and the like
.
With the strengthening of environmental awareness and the exploration of new materials by researchers, the emergence and use of new plastics has gradually expanded to the field of automotive exteriors
.
Cellulose extracted from plants such as straw, flax, sugar beet, and cottonseed hulls can be made into bio-based plastics for use in the automotive field
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Bio-based plastics have previously been used in "bio-based" light-duty electric vehicles built in the Netherlands
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Not only does the relevant components have a strength-to-weight ratio close to that of glass fiber, but the weight of the vehicle body is also greatly reduced
.

Key trends in the automotive plastics market to 2024 · Demand for polypropylene (PP) will increase
.
It is sourced for automotive interiors and exteriors, as well as under-hood applications, often replacing metal components
.
To neutralize battery weight, PP will surge as electric vehicle (EV) production surges
.

· Polyethylene (PE) consumption is likely to remain stagnant
.
While HDPE continues to replace steel in gas tanks, a new trend affecting polyethylene demand is the surge in electric vehicles
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In electric vehicles, PE is mainly used for engine components because electric motors do not require plastics designed for high temperature environments
.

　　Although consumption of ABS may take a hit as the use of PP composites increases, there will still be demand for it in some high-end vehicles due to its proven quality in automotive interiors
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ABS is increasingly used in wheel covers and body parts as it enhances the toughness, impact resistance and heat resistance of plastic products
.

　　· Polycarbonate (PC) is setting a new standard for lighting and electrification in autonomous vehicles as well as conventional vehicles
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In addition, PC also has excellent impact resistance, heat resistance, electrical and weather resistance
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The combination of toughness, hardness and stiffness will drive the application of PC in the automotive plastics industry
.

　　• Polyvinyl chloride is attractive due to its enhanced flame retardancy, excellent flexibility, low (free) lead content and high gloss
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PVC can be moulded, injection moulded and blow moulded to form a range of products
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As a result, the demand for PVC for automotive dashboards and doors is expected to grow until 2024
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　　North America and Europe will continue to attract investors into the automotive plastics market as the industry will experience greater growth in polymer consumption through 2024
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　　Conclusion: Automotive plastics are favored by the automotive industry due to their durability, scratch resistance, wear resistance, efficient design molding and component integration, lightweight, shock absorption and noise control
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The above data shows that the automotive plastics market will usher in rapid development in the next ten years.
Under the huge market demand, the competition in the material industry will also be more intense
.