Future vehicles will make new demands of material suppliers

The automotive industry began 2016 by looking ahead, with announcements from GM in particular giving some of the clearest indicators yet about where the industry could be heading. The company began 2016 by investing US$500m in ride-sharing service Lyft, a rival of Uber. Soon after at the International Consumer Electronics Show 2016 (CES), it unveiled a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt production prototype, built with car-sharing in mind. The flat floor and self-sealing tyres will make the vehicle suitable for use by ride-sharing services and by multiple users. Game features, which allow users to compete to see who is the greenest driver, will further enhance the experience.