Sumitomo Electric readies improved aluminum wire harness

Sumitomo Electric Industries has developed an automotive wire harness from a special aluminum alloy that is strong enough and skinny enough to replace around 70% of all copper wire harnesses now used in a car, including in the engine compartment and doors.

The average modern car with all its electronic control systems is equipped with around 1,000 wire harnesses. Typically made from copper, they collectively add around 20-30kg to a vehicle's weight. The new aluminum harness weighs half as much as a conventional harness, enabling automakers to trim the added weight to 10-20kg.

The Japanese autoparts maker said it has already received unofficial orders from some leading Japanese automakers and plans to begin mass production at the factory of a subsidiary in Japan this year. By 2017, it also plans to mass-produce the aluminum wire harnesses in Thailand to supply automakers with operations in Southeast Asia.

Back in 2010, Sumitomo Electric developed and began shipping a different kind of aluminum wire harness, but because that metal material was not very strong, automakers like Toyota Motor could only use it for around 30% of the harnesses in their cars. The new aluminum alloy is twice as strong as the original material, in addition to being thinner.

The current global market for wire harnesses is worth 5 trillion yen ($41 billion), and Sumitomo Electric has a 25% share, second only to Japanese rival Yazaki's 30% share.

Over the past 15 years, Sumitomo Electric has managed to nearly triple its market share. With the release of the new harness, it aims to leapfrog Yazaki to become the global leader.