日前，美国汽车制造商福特与飞机生产商波音联合宣布，两家世界级企业将结成战略联盟，共通研发纳米技术，并将成果应用到未来的汽车和航空器制造领域。

    据美国《Fool.com》网站10月7日报道，两家巨头的此次行动验证了之前人们的预测，纳米技术已经成为科学技术领域不可或缺的动力，并将在汽车和航空产业中发挥举足轻重的作用。通过新技术的研发，两家公司将把科技力量直接转化为新产品，相信在不久之后纳米技术衍生出的高技术产品将为福特和波音带来实际的经济利益。

    专家透露，通过在汽车和航空方面引入纳米技术，未来的汽车和飞机除了将变得更为轻便外，它们的坚固程度也将得到提升，而这些产品对于燃料的需求量则会大幅下降。考虑到如今能源市场的紧张局面，这一改进绝对称得上意义非凡。

    对于正在逐渐向节能型混合燃料汽车过渡的福特来说，引入纳米技术就显得更加重要。科学家表示，纳米技术将为汽车产业带来翻天复地的变化，未来汽车的外形将更加多样化，以满足用户的不同需求，同时还能够保证安全性。从长远角度看，纳米技术将使氢燃料的使用和存储变得更加简便；作为一种清洁型可再生资源，氢燃料将为汽车行业带来革命性的变化。因此，无论从材料还是从能源技术方面考虑，纳米技术都将对汽车业的发展起到至关重要的作用。

    对于波音来说，纳米技术的引入同样十分重要。首先，纳米技术生产的微型探测器将能更方便地安装在飞机上，这样就可以在起飞之前随时探测出飞机的潜在问题，从而降低飞行事故的发生率。其次，纳米技术专家指出，随着在材料领域引入纳米技术，未来的飞机表面材料完全能做到自动修复。此外，"可变形机翼"的出现将成为可能。

    报道说，也许这些新技术和产品现阶段还仅仅停留在构想层面，不过，随着福特和波音两家代表汽车和航空领域最高峰的公司首次宣布合作，人们又朝着梦想近了一步。

    Ford Motor Company and Boeing will form an alliance to collaborate on nanotechnology research into the future of automobiles and aerospace products, the companies announced Thursday.

    Why is this important to investors?

    First, it tells us that these two industry giants appreciate the promise of nanotechnology as a "disruptive," trail-blazing force in their industries -- the kind of sign that excites the Motley Fool Rule Breakers team.

    Second, it shows that the two companies are committed to conducting the research and development that could, someday, provide them with more than a nano-sized advantage over their competitors in the marketplace.

    Therefore, investors in competitors, such as General Motors and Lockheed Martin, should keep an eye on this joint research endeavor. Let's take a quick look at some examples of how such research could give these companies a competitive edge.

    Nanomaterials could make future automobiles and airplanes lighter and stronger, creating a dramatic improvement in fuel efficiency.

    For Ford, nanotechnology promises to make everything from new coatings that are scratch-resistant and self-cleaning to batteries that last longer -- a development that could facilitate a faster transition to fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles.

    Scientists also believe the unique characteristics of some nanomaterials may allow car engineers to create radical new designs that are pleasing to the eye, and don't compromise passenger safety.

    Longer-term, nanotechnology is likely to make hydrogen easier to produce and safer to store as a renewable energy source. In light of this, most experts agree that nanotechnology will play an important role in advancing fuel cell technology.

    Boeing stands to benefit from the deal because nanotechnology portends the day when nanosensors can be imbedded directly into the body of an aircraft to identify problems before they ever arise. It is even possible that these nanomaterials can change properties in response to outside conditions. Among the more innovative things nanotechnologists envision are self-healing materials and shape-shifting wings.

    Such technologies may sound futuristic, but the exponential advances in our understanding of nanotechnology indicate they may, in fact, be just around the corner.

    The very fact that Ford and Boeing seem to understand this makes me more bullish on both companies' long-term prospects.