Modern cars have a lot going for them. They’re safer than older ones, better performing, more comfortable, and more high-tech. One area where they find themselves lacking, however, is repairability.

The modern-day car industry likes to focus on sustainability and green credentials, and it’s true that modern cars generally perform better than older ones in terms of tailpipe emissions. However, they are not so green when it comes to reducing overall waste. It is not uncommon, for example, to have to swap out an entire headlight that could be repaired if only it was built slightly differently. Mercedes-Benz is working on a solution to that problem: using screws rather than glue, making components more accessible and repairable. This idea is just one small part of a major sustainability project the German automaker is embarking on, dubbed “Tomorrow XX”.

This program is an attempt at radically changing several aspects of the automotive industry, from manufacturing to repairs to end-of-life recycling. Let’s take a closer look at what Mercedes is trying to do, and why it could have a major impact on the car world.

Mercedes’ Tomorrow XX Program: Driving Towards Sustainability

Mercedes-Benz recently unveiled its “Tomorrow XX” program, a sustainability project aimed at making the company’s vehicles and manufacturing processes more environmentally friendly. The core pillars of Tomorrow XX are decarbonization, circular processes (such as recycling of used vehicles and materials), and intelligent manufacturing practices.

Mercedes-Benz is working in collaboration with several other organizations, such as start-ups and suppliers, to push the limits of innovation and reach higher standards of sustainability across all parts of a vehicle’s lifespan. Still in its infancy, the Tomorrow XX program is expected to expand over the next few years, with an ever-increasing range of different materials being involved. The ultimate goal is to incorporate sustainability at the core of everything Mercedes-Benz does, from building cars on the production line to recycling them at the end of their life.

“There can be no doubt that the overriding goal for all our products is to excite our customers while decarbonizing the automobile, driving down resource use and growing the circular economy. Innovation is a key route to achieving this and Tomorrow XX makes clear the huge strides we are taking. Together with our suppliers and partners, we are leading the way and embedding sustainability deep into our operational business and along the entire supply chain.”

-Olaf Schick, Member of the Board of Management Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Integrity, Governance & Sustainability

Every single component of a Mercedes-Benz vehicle is put under scrutiny: bodywork, interior trim, batteries and more. When it comes to cutting down carbon emissions, Mercedes is leaving no stone unturned, examining how parts can be redesigned and materials altered to cut down an extra kilogram of CO2.

One particular project Mercedes is working on as part of the Tomorrow XX program is the recyclable headlight. In most modern vehicles, headlight components (such as the lens, frame, and cover trim) are glued together, making the headlight near-impossible to repair as an individual component can not be separated from the rest.

Mercedes’ new headlight design, on the other hand, uses components that are screwed together. This makes repairs more achievable, which dramatically cuts down the environmental impact of the vehicle. For example, instead of having to replace an entire headlight for a small issue such as a stone chip, the lens can simply be unscrewed and replaced.

This gives the headlight a far longer service life, meaning that not only is environmental impact reduced, but costs for the consumer are also cut down dramatically. Broken headlights are a common source of unexpected, expensive repair work, and being able to fix rather than replace completely makes a huge difference in terms of costs.

The prototype headlight also has a mono-material design: all of its components are made out of a single material. This makes it easier to use recycled materials during manufacturing, and when the headlight does eventually reach the end of its lifespan, it’s much easier to sort and recycle its individual components. This type of design could cut down total carbon emissions by almost half.

What Mercedes Is Up Against: The Modern Automotive Throwaway Culture

The introduction Tomorrow XX program has the potential to have broader effects not just within Mercedes, but in the wider automotive world. A frequent complaint among car enthusiasts is that modern cars are essentially “smartphones on wheels”: throwaway appliances that are difficult to repair, with individual components that can’t easily be replaced. Screens and other tech items become obsolete quickly, cheap plastics deteriorate, and parts are glued together and impossible to take apart.

As a result, swapping out entire parts (such as a headlight), or even getting a new vehicle, is frequently seen as a more cost-effective and practical solution than spending large amounts of time and money on repair work. However, this system results in massive amounts of waste and has a large environmental impact. Mercedes’ approach could, if successful, reintroduce some of the core characteristics of older, simpler vehicles: modular components that are easier and cheaper to swap out, making repairs more attainable.

The end of a vehicle’s lifespan also has the potential to be affected by Tomorrow XX: although it is not currently uncommon to use a scrapped vehicle for spare parts, Mercedes’ ideas could take recycling to the next level, by repurposing materials as well as components. Tomorrow XX is a highly ambitious project that aims to radically change the way we think about cars, from the production line to the scrapyard. Repairing rather than replacing, recycling rather than wasting: these are all steps that can make the manufacturing process and ownership experience of a vehicle more environmentally-friendly and more cost-effective.

Another Aspect Of The Tomorrow XX Project: The Intelligent Production Of Key Materials

The Tomorrow XX Project does not just aim at revolutionizing the way cars are built, but also targets the way materials are manufactured long before the car is assembled on the production line. Mercedes is trying to increase its use of materials that are created sustainably and can be recycled efficiently at the end of their lifespan, in order to create a circular process with lower carbon emissions.

Several interior components in modern Mercedes models, for example, are built using recycled PET plastic. This material is used in components such as seat covers, wheel-arch liners, floor mats, and vehicles’ doors, which are built with a bone-like structure that drastically reduces their weight without compromising on performance. PET is highly recyclable, and as such is a good candidate to replace other types of plastic currently used in vehicle manufacturing.

Metals are also a type of material heavily targeted by the Tomorrow XX project. Mercedes is looking to improve sustainability in the way it produces aluminum and steel, both of which are heavily used in its vehicles. The production of aluminum is typically very energy-intensive, however Mercedes is transforming the way it is produced thanks to the use of electrolysis plants and renewable energy. Low-carbon aluminum already forms a major part of Mercedes’ manufacturing process, and the company is looking to increase that figure even further.

The production of steel is also quite costly in terms of energy, however Mercedes is working with leading steel manufacturers to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions during the manufacturing process. The traditional blast-furnace route is replaced with electric arc furnaces, and most steel used in Mercedes vehicles is recycled, which further cuts down environmental impact.

The start of automotive materials’ life cycle is important, but its end is equally crucial: another aspect of Mercedes’ project focuses on recycling and using scrapped vehicles as a source of materials. A take-back site for disused vehicles is currently being built in northwestern Germany, in an effort to reduce waste and create a circular economy where old cars are recycled into new ones. Here are a few components from old cars that could find a second life thanks to Mercedes’ efforts:

Brake Pads: Mercedes already has a scheme in place (MeRSy) to collect and recycle friction components. However, as part of Tomorrow XX, it has designed an innovative new brake pad concept that contains about 40% waste from old brake pads.

General Plastic Residue: The underbody cladding of new vehicles can be manufactured using so-called “shredder residue”, produced when old cars are recycled. This residue can be used as a substitute for virgin plastics, reducing carbon emissions.

Airbags: The Tomorrow XX program has identified engine mounts and the valve housing in the thermal management system as two components that could potentially be built using recycled airbags.

Tires: Old tires can be recycled to produce a high-quality leather alternative, or they can be shredded and used as acoustic insulation.

Sources: Mercedes-Benz.