Pioneers in cars were in many cases also pioneers in aeroplanes, so it is not surprising that car design and manufacture have always benefited from the aerospace industry.
Several of the technologies used in the design and manufacture of modern cars and trucks originate in materials and systems developed for applications in space. These are now being used to decrease costs in car manufacture and to improve performance, comfort and safety; some examples: airbags, carbon brakes, navigation systems, vibration damping, insulation, cooling systems and many more all come from space technology.
A pressing concern is the protection of the Earth’s environment; and the cleaner fuels and solar energy used to power satellites are already starting to power cars and buses.
The successful spin-offs described illustrate the increasing impact of the European space industry on car design and manufacture.
