As the world accelerates its efforts to realize decarbonization and sustainability, Japan as well as many other countries and regions are making progress toward carbon neutrality. Recycling and creative collaboration are the keys for overcoming global-scale issues and achieving a sustainable society. The automotive industry has a wide-ranging and powerful impact on society as a whole, and initiatives to eliminate carbon over the whole vehicle life cycle are absolutely essential for achieving carbon neutrality. To successfully implement these initiatives, the automotive industry must move on from the conventional linear process of resource exploitation, manufacturing, and disposal, to a socially oriented recycling-based system focused on the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle). Although we are standing at the crossroads of transformation, it will be no easy matter to change our common values. For this reason, we have to question conventional wisdom, look at things from new perspectives, and take on this challenge through a process of creative collaboration with new partners. We must ask ourselves, “What technologies will make people and the world happy?” and broaden our value chain to help create new value.
We hope that everyone involved in the world of cars can meet at the Automotive Engineering Exposition 2023 and gather together our collective wisdom.