Automobile industry environmental impacts

The number of light vehicle registrations dramatically increases the environmental impacts of automobiles worldwide (23). The automotive industry must implement fundamental issues, such as fuel economy and reduced emissions. Many design parameters, such as rolling resistance, aerodynamics, drive train design, friction, and vehicle weight can influence the environmental properties of the vehicles. 

Air Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1970 and renewed it in 1977 and 1990. Its goal was to protect public health, improve atmospheric visibility, and prevent damage to crops by controlling emissions from industrial plants and automobiles and imposing controls on common air pollutants. Other environmental laws impact air quality as well. 

In conventional industrial systems, a product is manufactured and marketed after which the vendor forgets about it (unless some product defect, such as sticking accelerator pedals on an automobile, forces a recall). In a system of industrial ecology, however, the entire life cycle of the product is considered. An important aspect of such a consideration is life cycle assessment. The overall goal of a life cycle assessment is to determine, measure, and minimize environmental and resource impacts of products and services. 

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