The ULSAB-Advanced Vehicle Concepts Program is focused on the development of steel applications for vehicles to be produced beginning in the year 2004. A “holistic” total vehicle development approach will be applied, including styling, package, closures, suspension, etc. The understanding of the interactions of all vehicle subsystems, their optimization in respect to size, mass, and performance, will lead the program to an optimized steel intensive vehicle concept. Benchmarking will provide the data for building the basis of the target setting, after which the program target will be established and guidelines for the design will be created. The ULSAB-AVC Program concentrates on the design of two size lightweight vehicles: One size fitting in the most popular European C-class (so-called Golf class); and the second size similar to the North American PNGV class (Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles*). Both will share as many components as possible with the goal to reduce total vehicle mass, energy consumption and, hence environmental emissions.
The overall ULSAB-AVC Program objective is to demonstrate that steel offers solutions for future vehicle developments and to communicate those solutions to OEMs and their customers. Essential targets will be set to meet this objective, which demonstrate the innovative use of steel in automotive applications and can provide a wide range of functional and societal benefits.
These benefits are:
Safety through design and material selection
Inherent affordability through modern manufacturing technologies and low cost of ownership including ease of repair
Environmental responsibility through energy, resource efficiency and complete recyclability
High volume production through both established and innovative manufacturing techniques