**1.2. Customer problem**

#### *1.2.1. Automotive*

The new fuel economy standards which mandate an average fuel economy of 54.5 miles per gallon for the 2025 model year will highly motivate auto manufacturers to step up development of improved vehicle designs and technologies to sharply improve the fleet mileage. Mass produced models will need to utilize more efficient engines and new lighter but safe car bodies. Automobile manufacturers have investigated alternatives to the steel traditionally used in car production. However, in most cases, the on-road properties of steel make it the best choice for automotive fabrication [3]. As a result, we are seeing a renewed interest in the use of high-strength steel and composites.

Carbon-fiber composite car structures are now in vogue. BMW produces two all carbon electric vehicle designs the i3 and the i8. General Motors' Corvette Stingray has a carbon-fiber roof and hood. Other recent autos that feature carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) components include the Audi R8, the BMW M6, and the Dodge Viper. Most of these models, however, are high end, low-volume vehicles that are mainly assembled manually because composites use in low and medium-priced cars is still awaiting the development of cost effective massproduction processes and materials [4, 5].
