How Ford and Heinz Will Make Cars Out of Tomatoes This Summer

Ford and Heinz are teaming up to find a new use for tomatoes: car parts. Together, the automaker and food processing company plan to fund research to explore the use of tomato fiber as a sustainable bio-plastic material for use in vehicle manufacturing. Researchers are currently testing the durability of dried tomato skins for use in wiring brackets within the hood or as a storage bin in the center console. Use of the food processing byproduct would fulfil Ford’s goal of reducing the use of petrochemicals in its manufacturing process. Already, Ford has integrated the use of other recycled and bio-based materials including coconuts, cotton, rice hulls and soy.