What Automotive Market Challenges Mean for Automakers, How Adhesives Help

While car companies try to keep sales growing as much as possible, certain challenges must be addressed in order to succeed in today's market. Take a look at these challenges, what they mean for carmakers and how adhesives can help.

Demand for Customization

Consumers are beginning to want cars that match their personal interests. For example, as cited in IBM Voice, digital innovations can be complicated and not easy for everyone to use.  People want to feel like their car is customized for them and meets their specific needs.

• What Does it Mean for Automakers?

Automakers will need to adjust accordingly in order to match consumers to the level of digital technology they want in their cars, increasing their satisfaction and earning their loyalty.

Additionally, automakers will need to make several types of the same car, since each type will need to feature variants. This means more diverse and complex product lines. To save time and money, automakers will need to reuse certain components in the different models.

 Increasing Regulations

Car manufacturers now must include safety features that previously were add-ons.  For example, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has required that all new vehicles to come equipped with backup cameras.

Additionally, new standards for fuel efficiency will require automakers to nearly double the average fuel economy of new cars and trucks by 2025. This will help improve the environment, eliminating six billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade.

• What Does it Mean for Automakers?

Rising safety and fuel efficiency standards mean that automakers must adapt their supply chain to meet these regulations. As cited in Mibiz, this means they will shorten the car model cycle from seven years to five.

Previously, car models were around for seven years before getting a complete upgrade. Now, however, the launch cycle will be shortened, decreasing the time it will take for new cars that meet these standards to hit the market.

Additionally, the government will be more active in the automotive market going forward. This puts continued pressure on automakers to ensure cars are meeting the CAFE standard every time.

How Adhesives Help Car Manufacturers with These Challenges

Automotive adhesives in general provide car manufacturers with the ability to bond dissimilar materials with minimal surface preparation. This aspect helps them meet demands for increased customization without adding additional production time. Automotive adhesives also provide:

• Torsional stiffness
• Temperature and weather resistance
• Strength, durability and styling aesthetics

Bostik’s SMP (silyl modified polymers) adhesive technology in particular provides significant benefits to automakers to help them address the new challenges. For example, Bostik’s SMP products improve manufacturing efficiencies by:

• Reducing production time and cost: no primer is needed

This helps automakers produce cars more quickly. Furthermore, these SMP products contain no solvents, making them an environmentally friendly option. They are also versatile; one product can bond to many different substrates.

For more information about SMP, check out our video. You can also learn more about Bostik’s line of automotive adhesives by visiting www.bostik.com/us.

Got a question about automotive adhesives? Contact a Bostik expert today!