Advance High Strength Steels: The Solution in Lightweighting our Future Automobiles

Abstract

Aircraft industry’s focus is mainly given on the balance between essential aspects that can make vehicles ideal for users: safety, maximum fuel efficiency, value for money, recycling and recovery of end-life vehicles, and the ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This paper presents AHS:, its material properties, advantages and disadvantages, issues and some recent developments in this material for it to be considered as the “future” of automobile industry. Some comparisons are also presented to provide basic differentiation of this material from other lightweighting material types. In order to provide credible information, literature search was conducted using significant keywords in Google Scholar and journal repository Deepdyve. Current grades of AHSS are already standing out as evidenced by 2016 cars that are majorly made of this type of material. It has high strength, ductility, high energy-absorption ability and costs lower than other type of lightweighting materials. Its properties coupled with cost and environmental advantages make it more preferable relative to Aluminum In terms of Lightweighting capability, Steel particularly AHSS has the possibility to reduce 40-50% of the weight of body components.