Resumen del autor, extraído del trabajo. Both the oil and the automobile industry have undertaken considerable efforts in solving environmental problems caused by road transport. Improved fuel qualities and clean exhaust gases are the ongoing aim to further improve air quality and ensure a sustainable environment worldwide. In many countries, emissions have been considerably reduced thus improving air quality significantly. One of the main targets is a further reduction of the ozone precursors-volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, the air toxics and the greenhouse gases to reduce the Greenhouse effect. Worldwide trends as regards the fuels are: Unleaded gasoline, a reduction of sulphur, benzene and aromatics, lower vapour pressure, an increase in oxygen compounds and multifunctional additive packages as well as trends to higher octane and cetane numbers. As regards the automobile industry the worldwide trends are: Improved engine concepts, new injection systems and technologies (multipoint direct injection systems), improved and new catalytic conversion systems (Denox/adsorber catalytic converters) and the further reduction of fuel consumption and CO2. Possible future alternatives for fuels (metha-nol, natural gas, hydrogen and synfuel) and for combustion engines (fuel cell, electric drive trains) are predicted for the future.