Advanced high strength steels are becoming increasingly common in new cars. New steel grades enable carmakers to save weight, while also providing the cars with better protection against corrosion and improved comfort.

But the automotive industry is also striving to achieve higher quality. During the past ten years, the industry has taken giant strides towards improved anti-corrosion treatment by using a growing proportion of zinc coated material in the bodies.

In Japan, the automotive industry uses 13 percent of extra-high strength, hot-dip galvanised steels in the bodies, but this figure is expected to rise to 45 percent within five years.

While the automotive industry wants increasing amounts of high strength and anti-corrosion treated steels, new cars are becoming increasingly technologically advanced. The designs of various parts demand steels with tailored properties.