What's in the bumper?

EDS develops material data system for car manufacturers

(bu). EDS of Rüsselsheim is setting up an international electronic material data system (IMDS) on behalf of the car manufacturers Audi, BMW, Daimler-Chrysler, Ford, Opel, VW and Volvo. The system provides car manufacturers and their partners with information on the materials of which the individual components of a car are made. Starting point for the cooperation with the car manufacturers was their commitment to recycle 95 per cent of the mass of a vehicle by the year 2015.

This is possible only with precise information on the composition of the supplied parts. In addition, the increasingly strict laws and regulations on waste disposal, on dangerous substances and on the promotion of recycling require detailed information on the materials used in products. The IMDS will finally be fully operational in March 2000. A three-month pilot phase, in which 30 suppliers will also participate, starts at the end of 1999. All participants will be connected and communicate via the Internet. Due to competition reasons, the automotive suppliers have specified very high security standards. EDS has developed a multi-level security concept with different levels of access rights for individual users. It is possible without any great additional effort to include new members. In future, the suppliers will also have the opportunity of setting up their materials management within this system.