Mercedes uses common sense and screws to make headlights repairable

There is a growing trend among European car manufacturers to reduce waste and protect our fragile environment. Jaguar Land Rover recently announced plans to remove magnesium from the dashboard crossbar, a move expected to save more than 50,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually. BMW, meanwhile, claims that about a third of the weight of the new iX3 electric crossover comes from recycled materials.

Mercedes has its own ecological agenda and involves going back to basics by using good old screws. As part of its ‘Mission X’ initiative to promote circularity, the company says it will make modern headlights repairable for the first time. While today’s headlights rely on adhesives to hold the lens, trim, frame, housing and electronics in place, tomorrow’s headlights will be bolted together.

This approach makes it easier to replace a faulty individual part rather than having to replace the entire headlight. It not only reduces waste, but also reduces repair costs and extends the life of the headlight. Take, for example, a rock chip that damages the lens: instead of replacing the entire unit, a technician can simply unscrew the lens and install a new one.

If you’ve recently had to replace a defective headlight out of pocket, you know how shockingly expensive adaptive LED units can be. Avoiding a complete assembly replacement reduces harmful emissions and makes the headlamp easier to recycle, as individual parts are easier to separate and sort.

Mission X goes far beyond repairing headlights. Mercedes has discovered how glass fiber reinforced polyamide from recycled airbags can be reused to produce engine mounts and valve bodies. Elsewhere, plastic from end-of-life vehicles could be reused for the underbody of new models.

The next initiative to reduce emissions may not sit well with customers and their expectations when purchasing a brand new Mercedes. Research shows that recycled plastic from old tires can serve as a basis for artificial leather. The German luxury brand says combining recycled plastic with bio-based proteins results in an “innovative material that resembles real leather in composition and structure.” It reportedly offers double the maximum tensile strength and is much more durable in extreme temperatures.

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Source: Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes has also found a way to use fibers from discarded tires for vibration dampers. In addition, recycled PET reduces the weight of a door pocket by 40 percent compared to the current standard practice of using primarily plastic. The company is also researching recycled brake pads that are made with approximately 40 percent waste from old brake pads.

All these methods contribute to significantly lower emissions through greater use of secondary raw materials. People tend to focus only on the emissions coming out of the tailpipe, but a car already has an impact on the environment before the driver has driven the first mile. Mercedes aims to reduce pollution by making greater use of what is already available and limiting dependence on primary materials. Well-maintained headlights are just one way that car production can become more environmentally friendly.