A Toronto start-up is helping automakers produce lighter vehicles that meet tougher emission standards in Canada and the U.S. Founded on a discovery supported through AUTO21, Smarter Alloys has hit the market with a lightweight smart metal that replaces electric actuators – those 200 or so small motors in a vehicle that control everything from door locks to the HVAC system. Smarter Alloys elastic-like material can bend into multiple shapes and then return to its original form (similar to some eyeglass frames). The company has already secured joint development agreements with major automakers and sales with other technology sectors, including orthodontic arch wire suppliers.