Chapter 23 | Automotive Available to Purchase

The automotive industry is one of the key sectors of the economy throughout the world. Despite the transformation and disruption of much of the industry's traditional manufacturing methods and materials, high- and medium-volume passenger car and truck production continues to rely on the use of metallic construction materials. Corrosion management of those metallic structures is a priority for the automotive engineer. Vehicle bodies are constructed from ferrous and nonferrous materials, in sheet, cast, and extruded forms. The use of metallic coatings and joint designs that avoid galvanic corrosion and moisture accumulation enhance the corrosion resistance of the body. Protective coatings and sealants are applied to the assembled body in the paintshop. The interior, trim, chassis, and powertrain components are fitted in the final assembly line to produce the finished vehicle. Strategies to improve automobile fuel economy, environmental impact, quality, and reliability, while reducing manufacturing costs and increasing profit margins, have brought about considerable change in the industry. New designs and powertrains, improved processing, and new materials have been developed to meet these challenges. The resulting improvements in corrosion resistance have led to the extension of greater corrosion warranties to vehicle customers. Corrosion testing, both of components in the laboratory and of full vehicles at the test track, has played a major role in the development of corrosion-resistant vehicles. There is strong interest in the industry to use quicker and cheaper assessment methods to determine performance characteristics of vehicles and components in their service environments. Many vehicle manufacturers have developed custom corrosion test methods, leading to their proliferation, such that there is scope for rationalization of corrosion testing within the industry. This chapter addresses the testing technology used in the development of corrosion resistant vehicles and highlights some emerging trends for future corrosion testing.