Gradually, owing to economic and technological reasons, in the last thirty years, plastics have gained an increasing presence in automobiles. This paper examines the use of plastics in the Brazilian car industry. First, polymers are classified according to their technical and economic characteristics. The paper then reports briefly on the Brazilian polymer industry, as well as on the auto industry, focusing on its great potential for attracting technological innovations. The main applications for plastics in cars are also outlined. Finally, the paper discusses the question of technological innovation in the Brazilian polymer industry, with the auto industry as a catalyst.
Auto industry; plastics in cars; classification of polymers; commodity; quasi-commodity; high-performance polymers
