There are many more products available other than metallic surfaces in which you can use Baking Soda, the most significant in the auto industry would be fiberglass, which carries over to boats, airplanes etc. Many companies do house restorations after fires in which they use baking soda to restore the wooden support system of the home. A lot of cities remove graffiti as well with this process. They use baking soda on the Statue of Liberty as well. These are just a few.
The advantages are pretty numerous actually, baking soda itself is biodegradable, so once you filter out the product you're removing from the dust, it can simply be washed away by rain or water. With sandblasting, you typically want to add some measure of primer to the metallic surface promptly to avoid rust starting to form. With baking soda blasting, there is a surface layer of material that actually protects the surface from rust. Some have mentioned going a few months before they begin the paint process and have reported minimal rusting in that time (with no primer added). Sand is caustic and that is something you don't have to worry about with soda, not nearly as many health issues with using it. With sandblasting or other more aggressive medias, you need to be mindful of the rubber, glass and plastic surfaces when doing the work, but the soda doesn't damage those items.