Nanotechnology, additives and coatings are amongst the weapons that will combat friction and reduce fuel consumption over the next 10 years.
The perhaps unsurprising predictions are made in the latest scientific report from Finland's VTT Technical Research Centre and Argonne National Laboratory in the US. According to the report, the average car currently uses some 340 litres of fuel annually simply to overcome friction, with all its resulting costs and emissions.
The two research units 
predict that surface technologies, such as diamond-like carbon materials and nano technologies are leading the way amongst tools available to the auto industry in overcoming the friction battle. The lubes industry's additive developments will also play a major role - a factor highlighted in the OATS LRC last year.
The scientists believe that surface technologies could lead to as much as a 50% reduction in friction, with better lubes flow and internal pressure taking 25-50% off the friction scale and reducing fuel consumption by 4%.
However, the report also places an element of responsibility on drivers themselves, stating that a 10% reduction in driving speeds can lead to a 16% drop in fuel consumption, as well as allowing higher tyre pressures which also helps to reduce friction.
The auto industry is not the only sector benefitting from anti-friction technology, with a number of innovations announced in the past year, including diamond-like technology for greases, for manufacturing industries.