Starting in 2010, Chrysler will officially cease putting traditional owner’s manuals in cars. Instead, they will be replacing it with a 60-page guide and a DVD.  While this will be a cost saving move for the automaker who filed for bankruptcy, Chrysler is also billing it as an environmental friendly change, and a way to free up space in car owners glove boxes.  With an increasing array of features and technology, the owner’s manual has grown to an enormous size. Some automakers include multiple manuals covering different areas, such as maintenance, controls, and warranty. While the owner’s manual offers some key information, such as correct tire pressure, etc, who really reads the entire thing?

Shipping cars with instructional DVDs isn’t new, but this is the first time a car maker has done so in place of a traditional owner’s manual. It is predicted that by Chrysler eliminating its printed manuals the company will save 20,000 trees a year. If other automakers follow suit, there will be a substantial effect. Furthermore, DVDs have the added advantages of allowing users to search by topic, rather than flip through a huge manual. Additionally, DVD-based owner’s manuals can include tutorials on more complicated tasks, such as removing the folding top and adding the hard top to a Jeep Wrangler, a very long and complicated process that involves a rubber mallet. While Chrysler is the first to do this, they may be on to something, and it will not be surprising if others follow in the same direction.