| The increase in awareness in the global | | | | its tracks as effectively as an EBC Redstuff |
| community regarding global warming is already | | | | brake component can effectively stop a car. |
| widespread. Different sectors in the community | | | | Reithofer announced that in order for their cars |
| of nations are already taking steps to combat the | | | | to be eco-friendly, they need to work on some |
| further destruction of the environment. | | | | parts of their vehicles. Some systems that they |
| One industry making great leaps to reduce the | | | | will be working on are the brake-energy |
| amount of greenhouse gases being released into | | | | regeneration, light-weight construction, and |
| the atmosphere is the automotive world. Different | | | | automatic stop-start functions. |
| car makers have come up with developmental | | | | Brake-energy regeneration is an important |
| plans that will see production of vehicles totally | | | | technology since in this technology, the force |
| independent from fossil fuel use. | | | | generated during braking will not be wasted but |
| Car manufacturers all around the world are also | | | | instead will be re-used. As for light weight |
| looking for ways to reduce the emission of | | | | construction, the lighter the vehicle, the less |
| conventional diesel or gasoline engines. One car | | | | power it needs to be driven. And this then |
| manufacturer joining the fray of auto makers | | | | translates to lesser fuel consumption. Automatic |
| going green is the Bavarian Motor Works | | | | stop-start functions are in the stage of |
| commonly known as the German based car | | | | development. This technology is aimed to reduce |
| maker BMW. | | | | the amount of fuel consumed during idling. This |
| Recently, BMW's Chief Executive Officer Norbert | | | | technology is currently being used by hybrid |
| Reithofer reported that the company is focusing | | | | electric vehicles. |
| on the production of a new lineup of fuel efficient | | | | Aside from pointing out the different systems |
| engines for their vehicles. Reithofer stated that | | | | that the company will be actively looking into, |
| the star of the lineup will be a Mini that will have a | | | | Reithofer also stated that his company believes |
| gas mileage rating of 53.4 miles per gallon. He said | | | | that the future of clean fuel technology is |
| that the new generation of eco-friendly engines is | | | | hydrogen. Hydrogen which is used as fuel for |
| part of BMW's commitment to address the global | | | | vehicles reduces the amount of emissions to zero. |
| warming issue. | | | | While the technology promises a lot in terms of |
| "The auto industry is facing a fundamental | | | | greenhouse gas reduction, there are still many |
| paradigm shift," says Reithofer. "It cannot be | | | | aspects in the use of hydrogen as fuel that needs |
| overlooked any longer that the global climate is | | | | more research. For one, the construction of fuel |
| changing." Indeed, the climate all over the world | | | | cells is costly and the currently used fuel cells are |
| has changed drastically for the worse, and every | | | | fragile. The auto industry and its partners need to |
| part of the global community needs to contribute | | | | work on a design of a fuel cell that will be sturdy |
| to stop any further destruction of the | | | | and will cost substantially less. |
| environment. Global warming should be stopped in | | | | |