We may find that the vehicles or the future are a lot lighter and more environmentally friendly thanks to Divergent’s new platform which enables 3D metal printing.

PSA Group, the French carmaker behind Peugeot, Citroen, and DS cars, has announced a new partnership with Divergent. The Los-Angeles based 3D printing start-up has created a software-hardware platform that wants to drastically change the way we build cars.

The idea is that this pairing will lead to the production of PSA Group’s vehicles being cheaper but also more environmentally friendly. The US 3D printing company will also be producing parts for the vehicle’s models.

It is likely that the relationship between the two companies will be long-term, especially if the use of 3D printing will allow for efficient manufacturing.

What Are the Benefits of this Alliance?

Does that mean we’ll be driving 3D printed cars now? That’s not very likely. We have seen 3D printed parts used for prototyping, there has yet to be a car manufacturer which uses the technology for designing and manufacturing overall structures. The aim is to create a car which is lighter, safer environmentally friendly and more cost-efficient too.

Carlos Tavares, Chairman of the Managing Board PSA Group, stated:

“We are very impressed by the promising new opportunities in Divergent 3D’s technology. We’re convinced that these spectacular advances in 3D printing will help position PSA Group as a leader in automobile manufacturing.  This has the potential to dramatically scale down the size and scope of our manufacturing footprint, reduce overall vehicle weight and build complexity, while also giving us almost limitless flexibility in design output. We are talking about a radical change for our industry.”

The company has said that their partnership will begin by making prototypes of car designs. However, it is hoped that in the near future they will be able to move onto car parts for assembly lines. The final stage is “overall vehicle structures” which we may one day see on our roads.

Although this concept is pretty exciting, the deal is not binding just yet and there aren’t any dates to speak of either.

However, Kevin Czinger, Founder and CEO of Divergent 3D, also sounds positive. He pointed out: “PSA Group is a powerful, long-term strategic partner for Divergent 3D, enabling us to accelerate the introduction of Divergent’s technology into the global auto market.”

Let us know what you think of this partnership in the comments.

(Source: PSA Groupe)