French car-part manufacturer Faurecia has outlined plans for a new range of green car interior fabrics and materials derived from plant fibres.
According to Reuters' reports the company is investigating using coconut fibres in the shell of the car interior, hemp as lining for car doors, bamboo for durable seats and kenaf to strengthen dashboards.
Philippe Aumont, product planning vice president at Faurecia, said natural fibres could not only prove aesthetically superior to plastic interiors, but the sustainability factor was also likely to prove popular.
He also downplayed concern that demand for plant fibres from the automotive industry would lead to increased food prices in the same way as demand for fuel crops has reportedly limited the agricultural land available for food crops.
"Land needs primarily to be used to grow crops to feed humans and animals. But what is not used from the crop - like the core of a corn cob - can be used for its fibre," he told Reuters.
In related news, Ferrari attempted to shake off its gas guzzling reputation this week, unveiling its new biofuel prototype sports car at the North American Auto Show in Detroit.
The new F430 Spiderbiofuel prototype can run on up to 85 per cent ethanol and is more powerful than its gas predecessor, the company said. The concept car is part of a company wide green initiative from the sports car manufacturer designed to cut emissions from its cars by 40 per cent by 2012.
http://www.whatpc.co.uk/business-green/news/2207549/sustainable-fabric-rev-cars
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