Automobiles are complex systems. Choices about materials have implications throughout the value chain and can influence safety, fuel economy and performance. We use tools such as Design for Environment, life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) to help make beneficial choices.
For example, Ford is intensively applying simplified life cycle assessment and costing to review the performance of its existing European vehicles and to evaluate future technologies. The most recent example is the use of LCA and LCC in the context of the Product Sustainability Index (PSI) for Ford Galaxy and S-MAX. The external ISO 14040 review panel confirmed the high standard of the LCA and LCC studies done.
Ford is also involved in design for environment research, for example, via a European project called Sustainable Electrical & Electronic System for the Automotive Sector (SEES). SEES is looking for an optimization of electronic systems from a holistic, life cycle perspective.
