'Alternative' materials such as aluminum have made inroads into volume car production at the expense of steel. However, their overall effect is minimal and steel appears to remain the car makers' first choice for volume-produced car bodies. Steel technology has largely gone unnoticed, mainly because its long-established presence in the automotive market has made its advances seem less newsworthy. While aluminum offers significant weight reduction, the annual fuel saving would only be relatively minimal. This would hardly compensate for the higher purchase price of aluminum. Besides, other issues such as safety, styling, and life-cycle environmental impact will be equally decisive.
