After getting my head around the idea of a circular economy, and for those that need a bit of a steer, pardon the pun, here is a brief explanation:
“A circular economy is an alternative to a traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose) in which we keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life”
As well as creating new and alternative opportunities for growth, a more circular economy can drive greater resource productivity, position the UK to better address emerging resource security/scarcity issues in the future, help reduce the environmental impacts of production and consumption together with reducing waste.
This article demonstrates the ever evolving and complex automotive technology market and how progress towards the ‘Circular Car’ combined with the entire industry’s outlook on ‘mobility’ is changing constantly.
In short, if a ‘circular economy’ and ultimately a ‘circular car’ can introduce new areas for growth within the automotive industry then let’s all embrace it and work to a more ‘circular life’!!
Changing consumer demands including digital connectivity and new mobility trends such as “car as a service” concepts, are transforming not only cars themselves but the ways in which we use them. In the traditional automotive sector policies are also being put in place that promote safety and reduced emissions. These new demands require a complete restructuring of the automotive supply chain. Car manufacturers can no longer only focus on re-evaluating car design but must also take into account how the car is used and what happens to it when it reaches end-of-use. This requires new strategies and collaboration across the entire value chain, spreading the heavy burden of innovation throughout the supplier network.
Read the original article here