Autoliv (Stockholm / Sweden; www.autoliv.com) and an unnamed partner company have developed a thermoplastic that can be injection moulded onto the magnesium or steel structure of automotive steering wheels, providing an alternative to PU, and occasionally leather, as the material of choice for steering wheel covers.

The Swedish automotive safety system manufacturer says that the process is more environmentally friendly for two reasons: Firstly, thermoplastics are easier to recycle than PU; and, secondly, there is no flash to be removed from the mould parting lines, making for less production scrap. In addition, the production time is shorter because a thermoplastic cures faster than PU.

The first steering wheel to be produced by the patented process, which uses an as yet unspecified thermoplastic, will be introduced on the new Renault Mégane that can be seen at the "Paris Motor Show" (4-19 October 2008; www.mondialautomobile.com). It will begin full-scale production in 2009.