Future challenges in automotive emission control

The emissions from automotive vehicles are discussed in a global perspective. Scenarios for future energy production, energy consumption, growth of population and trade are considered as major drivers for the emission legislation. In particular the propulsion chain from energy via fuel and drive train is considered as a coupled system and innovation or breakthrough in one area will change the competitiveness for technologies in other areas. Presently the trade-off between engine-out NOx emissions and fuel consumptions put focus on NOx reduction in oxygen excess. The major technological and scientific challenges for catalytic lean NO, reduction are discussed.