Automotive Lightweighting

News items about the continual development of advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) and other materials for use in the development of lighter vehicles with better fuel efficiency without compromising safety.

Latest News

WorldAutoSteel Launches Free Online Resource for AHSS Applications

22 September 2021 - WorldAutoSteel, a division of the World Steel Association, have released the latest version of its AHSS Applications Guidelines as an online resource to help automotive manufacturers understand and capitalize on the benefits of advanced high-strength steels (AHSS).

voestalpine: 20 Years and 300 Million Parts Later, Press-Hardened Steel is Auto Manufacturing Staple

13 July 2021 - voestalpine is celebrating a production milestone: it has manufactured its 300 millionth component made from its press-hardened, high-strength steel.

In Electric Vehicles, There's A Case to Be Made For — And Out of — Steel

17 June 2019 - As the number of battery electric vehicles begins to increase, steel might have a new opportunity in one critical component: battery boxes, Steel Market Development Institute vice president Jody Hall said on Monday.

U.S. Steelmakers Win Energy Department Research Grants

08 March 2019 - United States Steel Corporation, AK Steel Corp. and ArcelorMittal USA will share in US$1.2 million in federal funding, as well as in time on government supercomputers, for research into slab and hot strip production.

Third-Gen Automotive Steels Have Arrived

02 August 2018 - Third-generation steels that are at once strong and formable are now being sold into the automotive market and can readily substitute components made from earlier advanced steels with lower tensile strengths, reports Repairer Driven News.

Revised CAFE Standards Probably Won't Hurt Demand for Auto Steel

25 June 2018 - The Trump administration’s proposal to roll back the 2025 vehicle fuel economy standards likely won’t have a significant impact on the market for lightweight automotive steels, according to a Nucor Corp. official.

Nissan to Expand Use of Advanced High-Strength Steel

21 June 2018 - Nissan Motors Co. Ltd. said it plans to use more advanced high-strength steel in its vehicles and aims to have the material account for 25% of components by weight.

AISI Lauds Plans to Revise Vehicle Emissions Standards

05 April 2018 - The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) said it supports the Trump administration’s decision to revise the new fuel efficiency standards laid out during the Barack Obama presidency.

Thanks to Steel, These Two Pickups are Lighter and Stronger

15 January 2018 - The annual Detroit auto show is underway, and steel, it seems, is taking center stage.

Investment Firm Acquires Steel Technical Center

27 December 2017 - An investment firm that owns metals and logistics businesses has acquired Heidtman Steel’s automotive steel technical center for an undisclosed amount.

Steel is Better, Stronger ... And Automakers Notice

16 October 2017 - If you’re wanting real-world examples of the inroads advanced steels have made with automakers, look no further than the Audi A8 sedan, which had used an all-aluminum body but now has returned to using steel.

For Automakers, Steel May Be the Best Deal

22 August 2017 - The automakers, it seems, just can’t quit steel.

Volkswagen SUV Makes Heavy Use of Light Steels

18 August 2017 - The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, the largest SUV that the German automaker sells in the U.S., makes extensive use of advanced steels – and handily passed its Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests, notes the Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ Repairer Driven News.