In an ISO Focus+ exclusive, high-level executives from the world’s leading carmakers such as Audi, Bentley Motors, and Kia Motors, reveal their companies' perspectives on the benefits of standards implementation and leading industry figures share their expectations for today and tomorrow.

Martin Conrads, Head of Information Services and Standards, Audi: “For Audi, International Standards open the worldwide supplier market. Standardized components give our customers remarkable added value, for example, with the ISOFIX child seat interface.”

Michael Straughan, Board Member, Manufacturing, Bentley Motors: “We were one of the first UK plants to achieve ISO 14001 certification for environmental management, the first in our sector to set out a clear strategy for reducing our impact on the environment, and we are now the first UK automotive plant to certify to the new ISO 50001 energy management standard.”

Hyoung-Keun Lee, Vice Chairman & CEO, Kia Motors: “If the global automotive industry combined efforts to invigorate current ISO activities, car manufacturers, motorists and our planet would benefit. Greater cooperation would also lead to an even broader range of car-related technology standards.”

Mikhail Gorbachev, Peace Prize Laureate: “Naturally, we are not trying to put everyone on trams or bicycles in the immediate future, but in my view there is a clear movement in this direction and the automotive industry must not fear this. The demand for their products will be maintained in a new framework and under different conditions, and we must prepare for the future, because whether we like it or not, it will come.”

Richard Parry Jones, former Vice President (Global Product Development), and Chief Technical Officer at Ford Motor Company: “To achieve all these benefits to society and customers in terms of emissions, congestion and safety, we will require International Standards for communications, so that every car can talk to another reliably and securely.”

Under the general heading of “Future gear", this issue of ISO Focus+ is dedicated to some of the key issues affecting the automotive sector and how International Standards can help build the car of the future.

It brings together a portfolio of articles predominantly based on standards developed by ISO technical committees ISO/TC 22, Road vehicles, and ISO/TC 204, Intelligent transport systems. Between the two committees, virtually most of the standards relative to cars are produced – with over 1 000 to date.

The leaders of the two ISO committees, Michael Noblett and Michel Potvin, comment: "From our end, the issues facing the industry’s future must be addressed on the basis of an integrated approach, involving not only automakers but also government, and consumers. And we will continue to do our share by developing timely, best practice guidelines – the industry’s future and our planet’s sustainability depend on it.”

Articles cover an array of topics, from intelligent transport systems and accident reduction to driver assistance systems and on-board diagnostics. This issue of the magazine also explores some of the main concerns of the industry, such as pollution and the costs of oil, with articles on ISO standards for hybrid and electric cars and alternative fuels.

ISO Focus+, February 2012

Future gear

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