The Ultralight Steel Auto Body program completes phase I

Abstract

The UltraLight Steel Auto Body program was initiated by the American Iron and Steel Institute and the International Iron and Steel Institute. The purpose of the program is to demonstrate the advantages of steel for reducing the weight of the automotive body-in-white. The holistic design approach—considering the body structure, materials, manufacturing methods, and engineering analysis together—has yielded a design for a body-in-white that is about 25 percent lighter than a typical vehicle produced at present, with improved structural performance. The materials and manufacturing processes required for the design are either in use or “near-reach” technologies.