Design HMi Technology Write Up for November 2018
Last few months have done a lot of technology investigates – both within and outside automotive. The details below provide a short summary and guide to where you can review more details.
Automotive Seats: Good article in NYT on next generation Automotive Seats. Key attributes highlighted by different seat makers and OE’s in this article as below.
Lear seats are being designed with biometrics to detect stress, drowsiness, and heart rate variability, auto activation of heat and massage functions, transmits critical data via a secure wireless communication, embedded sensors actively monitor your comfort, intelligent pneumatic control module for prompt comfort adjustment on the fly and surface sensors with Climate Ribbon woven into the foam just below the surface to name a few.
Nissan Zero Gravity Seats designed to reduce muscle and build with 14 different pressure points to put you in a neutral position. Natural, ergonomic design helps to maximize blood flow and keep your energy levels up.
Lincolns Perfect Position seat, a $1,500 option with 30 points of adjustment and massage.
Cadillac Safety Alert Seat vibrates either the left or right side, or both sides, of your driver’s seat cushion to warn of potential crash threats and indicate the threat’s direction.
According to the NYT article for best seats in car look for a bottom cushion that’s long enough to support your thighs, firmer foam gives the best support for most physiques on long trips side bolsters that gently hold you in position during cornering but not be overly loose or restrictive.
CLICK https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/01/business/seats-cars-safety-comfort.html and read the entire article.
Thin-Film Micro / Mini LED’s: Magna-Rohinni JV makes thin-film micro and mini LEDs available to mobility.
Audi PB18 E-Tron concept can slide the driver’s seat sideways.
The 2018 Interiors Expo in Michigan in Oct 2018 showcased some exceptional smart trim and smart surfaces.
Decorative Surfaces were showcased that would greatly enhance any feature content from headrest, door trim, IP trim and Visor to name a few.
The technology innovation for higher quality smart surfaces was truly fascinating at the show. Sadly from past experience realize that in vehicle integration among NA OE’s may be another 5+ years away – unless it is already in process.
Key elements to the technology are:
- Smart surfaces.
- Printed circuits.
- Printed light guides.
- Glues and soldered SMD components.
- Quick connect technology.
- Sputter coated chrome surface.
Smart Class A Finishes: Look up https://ggisolutions.com/solutions/passenger-control-unit/
Another excellent display for Automotive Interior Finishes’ was by https://lacksenterprises.com/
Impulse Staking is ideal for staking Electro-Mechanical products to plastic – example Overhead Console or Center Console.
Impulse Staking allows instantaneous cooling to room temperature within seconds and applies a significantly lesser amount of pressure on the mated part providing a clean and string-free method of staking. For more information CLICK https://www.simplestake.com.
Seat Leather Finishes: Option for OE’s to offer basic seats which can be upgraded from cloth to leather is easy. CLICK to review options.
Luxvan’s Electric Powered Seats recline fully to allow passengers to comfortably lie back and their patented leg rest provides full leg support all the way to the passenger’s feet.
Center Armrest and smart control console are other features.
For more information CLICK http://www.liqmeng.com/
Proterra 3D recently partnered with Carbon to enable the company to scale more rapidly and improve speed-to-market through the use of 3D manufactured parts. Working with Carbon, manufacturing costs for these end-use parts were reduced by 90–95% and parts were successfully deployed into vehicles in less than two weeks, vs. a three-month lead time for injection-molded parts.
This case study describes how Proterra is manufacturing some of its low-volume automotive parts utilizing Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis™ technology. Contact www.carbon3d.com/contact or https://www.proterra.com/ for more information. https://www.proterra.com/
Vacuum forming of automotive interior parts can easily add value to decorative Class A surfaces at low investment brining value to low volume luxury vehicles. Refer http://www.fvf.co.jp/english/pro001_005TOM02.html.
On show were high-tech, high-quality decorative plastic chrome plated parts for the automotive interior trim industry that go beyond the norm with technologies that open the design palette to infinite hues, 3-D custom textures, and multiple surface finishes.
Refer https://lacksenterprises.com/finish-technologies/ for more information.
CONTACT designhmi@gmail.com for more information.
