If Xtrac's processes result in either lower cost, lighter weight gearboxes or both, the technology will be rapidly embraced.

If it is lighter but costlier it might take longer.

Either way, sounds like valuable progress.

Makes me think of the possibility of coating the cylinder liner and piston ring in tungsten disulfide. Dry lubrication anyone?

That ANY adult would think that world could make better steel for over 5 centuries but that auto makers, or any firm, would intentionally make their own products less durable or heavier is ominous.

To believe that Chrysler could be forced into bankruptcy by “ after sales industry” and “repair garages” is incredibly weird.

To imply that any one auto maker could sell 500 000+ Km transmissions, A/C, suspensions, and ancillaries etc competitively, but intentionally make them wear out sooner, is beyond uneducated.

After sales industry is the biggest issue because of inertia?
Inertia ?
Are you nuts? You think AutoZone and Checker Auto are keeping us from progress? Buying off CARB and our congressmen? Idiotic.

I believe AGW is difficult to understand and prove and is based on complex, poorly understood sciences and so it is understandable that many deny it (AGW) is a real issue.

But to think a punter that can operate a keyboard could have the incredibly poor grasp of competition in the free market as shown in these posts is shocking.

Massive government intervention indeed -
Apparently we need it in our education system.

The OEM's worst nightmare is "car as appliance"..meaning it lasts longer, needs little maintenance, compared to what we are all used to...plus throw in upgradeability like a PC. If this happens US annual sales would drop by half. The Prius is getting there! OEM's need to give you a reason to trade up or buy new. Their old answer is styling and its running out of gas (no pun intended). Sedan after sedan all look alike to me. Advanced structure, six airbags, are all but standard. The next big thing looks like BEV but I think a well done BEV will be a 4 wheel appliance and should cost half an ICE car. Maybe not initially but give it a couple years.

Did anybody noticed that the least affected car manufacturer during the current economic crisis happened to build the best longer lasting units? You know who they are, if not look at the stats.

The cheapest poorly built cars and light trucks suffered the biggest lost in sales. You know who they are, if not look at the stats.

Regardless of what the bean counters may say, quality could be one of the most sustainable sales argument.

Better steel and steel alloy have existed for a very long time but are more expensive and more costly to shape and finish.

Japanese sword makers knew how to to it 500 years ago.

That may be why Camry's transmission never or rarely fail?

SnappyTom,

Thanks for your brilliant insights into my education level. I now understand that those years of studying economics at Australia's best university were a complete waste, as I completely failed to grasp the concept of a market until I read your cogent argument.

Before you hit the launch button, chief, you might want to ensure you've properly read the post of the intended target.

You know Toppa, the thing I like most about GCC is the intelligence of the commenters and the mostly positive conversations people have here. I rarely contribute, mainly because I'm not an engineer, but I've sure learned a lot from the site.

Spotting a chance to contribute, I took it, and regard my comment as both reasonable and rational. You've then leapt in to attack, labelling me as 'idiotic' and questioning my education. All rather baffling, although it seems you suffer from a surfeit of hostility. Add to this your inability to apologise (hint: I left the way open in my last post), your alacrity in coming to your own defence complete with smart-aleck response, and it's a rather disturbing profile of you. You weren't really blessed by the personality gods, were you?

Let me go through this again: if you don't believe inertia can build up in an economic system, think again. That coal industry is really embracing carbon trading! If you think markets can only be attacked from the left, think again. From my emotion-neutral assertion that inertia, ie a resistance to change, can build up in a system's components and delay change, you've then run with the idea that somehow I believe the auto parts industry is involved in a shadowy conspiracy to shoot down environmentalism. Do you always anthropomorphise systems? Or do you just feel generally threatened by the world around you?

I was more than happy to debate and defend my assertion, but a little miffed to be told I'm stupid and have my position completely misrepresented. As I said, drop the hostility and make sure you understand what someone is saying before you decide to have a go at them.

I doubt anyone other than you will now read this which is why I'm being so blunt; if I could PM you I would, this board is not the right place for either your attitude or my response, however ... I'm pretty sure you'll have to respond, because someone with your negative character traits will absolutely need to have the last word. So do your worst, champ.

Thank you Toppa, apology accepted, and please accept my apology if I offended you.

I guess I was a little shocked because I can't recall seeing people get hammered on GCC, it's always been a pleasant place to visit.

I certainly don't see the problem as being the ICE industry actively preventing change, just that the system works well as is (leaving aside GW issues) and people are reluctant to change or do things differently unless prompted to. I would see an example of inertia existing now as the ability for the average car to travel 500kms on one tank of petrol. The consensus for EV and carmakers seems to be that people want their new EV to match this distance on batteries, despite the fact that PHEVs are viable now for daily trips of 150km and that the average commute is under 50km a day. People are just used to one system and don't want to change.

Australia is at the low end of regulation, admittedly, but trying to get greener outcomes in the building industry is very difficult here (I have my own greentech company). People seem to love small change like new mobile phones but avoid large change like a new EV infrastructure.

Politicians are all populists at heart, and the other issue is pushing that change if jobs are at stake. No pollie ever wants to be responsible for putting people out of work. When EV's take off there will be changes to things like servicing, and hopefully we won't let this deter us if we collectively decide that EVs are a valuable tool to mitigate against GW.