Auto researchers and engineers are examining the use of lighter-weight materials and components in their quest to develop more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Ford's distinctive approach to alternative materials is not just about the need to be lighter, however, but also about the need to be greener. The company's use of more bio-based, recycled and reclaimed materials in production vehicles today, for example, already is resonating with the growing number of customers consciously purchasing products that are healthier for people and the planet.