The car of the future, inside

INTERIOR DESIGN EXPERTS SHARE THE TRENDS THAT WILL SHAPE THE NEXT GENERATIONS OF VEHICLES

When an end customer chooses the vehicle they purchase, a safe, connected and sustainable interior with a thoughtful interior, it can make all the difference.

Sustainability, safety and comfort are the three pillars that support the development of interiors in cars, according to Esther Grau, Industrial Covestro. An example of this is Covestro’s Marketing Manager for Automotive Coatings in water-based Insqin technology, which incorporates EMEA at content of plant-based raw materials for textile finishes. The objective of this material is to offer “the same attractive appearance as leather at a lower cost and with less solvent emissions”, saving “95% water and 50% energy” in order to comply with the directive of regulation of interior air quality. Sustainability and circularity are promoted thanks to its range of products for use in coatings and adhesives whose renewable carbon content can reach up to 70%, maintaining the final performance of their petrochemical equivalents. An example of this, Makrofol EC, is the first polycarbonate film manufactured with more than 50% carbon and from vegetable biomass. To this material is added a wide range of polycarbonates that use recycled material, for example used polycarbonate water bottles that come from the electronics industry. “At Covestro we are investing in sustainable innovation that allows us to close the life cycle of the products used in this industry so that they do not end up as waste in the environment”, a process in which the alliance with other companies is essential, creating synergies that allow innovation in technologies that meet the demands and preferences of consumers. Covestro’s OBoNatureTM material is obtained through collaboration with its partner FoamPartner and uses

The interior of the vehicles will be transformed to become multifunctional living and working spaces

Esther Grau, Covestro

carbon dioxide as an alternative raw material for the production of foams that are used mainly in ceilings, door panels, armrests and seat covers. “The car of the future will be fully connected to the network and will be seamlessly integrated into people’s everyday lives. That is why the interior of the vehicles will be transformed to become multifunctional living and working spaces”, says Esther Grau. Displays and gauges will gain importance in the future, becoming “multi-purpose systems that will connect passengers with the outside world and provide them with information or entertainment”. Covestro is already working on this line of multifunctional spaces and screens. To integrate these spaces into the interior of the vehicle, Covestro has designed a “privacy dome” that isolates users from the outside. “It is a sound-absorbing acoustic foam based on the Baynat polyurethane system that provides each passenger with individual peace and tranquillity, regardless of whether there are other passengers and noise from the outside world and that, in addition, will have a system that will allow for listening to relaxing sounds like sea waves, for example”. These trends we have described lead to the MATERIAL REVOLUTION conclusion that interior design is heading towards a “true material revolution”. This is how it is described, in fact, by Natur. New products based on plant residues, new polymers that

Arsenio Hidalgo, CEO of EPP repair themselves autonomously or TEP of elements that imitate natural skin appear as a sign of the

constant innovation of the suppliers, adapting to the guidelines set by manufacturers. Arsenio Hidalgo also tells us about a future trend “or a path towards a new reality” such as injection projects with recycled or food waste. Nowadays, “materials from residues of citrus fruit, nuts and some other fruit are being developed for panel or console printing using 3D”, a search to take advantage of ecological products with high energy savings. However, it must be clarified that the standardisation of these materials, as well as their industrialisation will still need time. Ecological also accompanies visual trends, “and the end consumer likes to feel part of that fact”. These materials, therefore, will not be disguised in future designs, but will be present visually so that the consumer is aware of the positive ecological impact that their vehicle offers. “Historically, the automotive industry has been a NATURAL EFFECT pioneer in the use of recycled and natural materials”, explains Beatriz Martín, Advertising and Promotion manager of Repsol’s Chemical Division, “its current focus is on expanding the use of recycled materials, especially post-consumer and/or circular materials in those applications where it has not been technically possible to do so until now. At Repsol we are developing two types of solutions from the Repsol Reciclex range: PP grades with post-consumer mechanical recycling and circular PP grades from chemical recycling of plastic waste that otherwise could not be recycled and would end up in a landfill”. The company also notes this trend in the interior of the vehicle towards the search for “the natural effect”, and the almost infinite possibilities offered by the different fillers and pigments in order to obtain “surprising aesthetic effects” with the new compounds of polypropylene, produced in the Tarragona industrial complex, and intended for parts such as the instrument panel, console, door panels, as well as various coatings and pillars. As for the future, the Repsol experience once again shows how important cooperation will be with other technological players that transcend the automotive sector itself. “The technological challenges are

/ The technological challenges are significant to achieving optimal connectivity and viable autonomous driving

Repsol

significant to achieving optimal connectivity and viable autonomous driving. To overcome them, the cooperation and union of this industry with specialised actors outside of the car industry is essential. At Repsol, for example, we have become shareholders of the Finnish start-up TactoTek specialised in the IMSETM process (Injection Molded Structural Electronics); together we are developing solutions for functional plastic parts that integrate electronic circuits with other functionalities and respond to the car needs of the future”, concludes Beatriz Martín. Lighting will be another feature that will see a LED LIGHT substantial improvement in interior design.

, Eliecer explains that “with our wide range of excellent LED Muñoz, head of Osram’s Marketing department retrofits it can cover a wide range of applications, including interior lighting for all automotive applications. Also, Onyx Copilot reading lights with different connections to adapt to any vehicle, or

ambient LED strips to change the environment, bringing vitality and colour to the interior of the vehicle. Interior lighting becomes an element of design and personal expression. All this from a sustainable point of view that is committed to saving energy”. “In the case of Osram lamps, in addition to offering a wide range of indoor lamps, the intense LED light of the LEDriving lamps brings a more modern look with a colour temperature of up to 6000 Kelvin and they turn on faster. They replace conventional lamps with a simple plug-and-play solution and their useful life is much longer, consuming less”. But, in addition to the aesthetic advantages, the lights will have a function closely linked to the development of the autonomous vehicle. This is especially true for exterior lights, which will be designed to improve communication with the environment. “The intelligent front lighting”, explains Eliecer Muñoz, “is the result of multi-pixel LED technology and allows lighting and viewing at the same time. High-resolution Eviyos LEDs recognise oncoming traffic and automatically turn off individual pixels in the headlights that are not needed to make driving easier and safer, preventing glare. Another contribution is the laser-based mirror projection systems that project warning signs on the road, facilitating visual communication between users”. For Antolin, a global benchmark in interior SUSTAINABILITY solutions in different modules and in advanced

Grupo electronics, “a particularly intense field of action during these months is being dedicated to health and hygiene aspects in the interior of the vehicle, which are now more relevant and necessary than ever. In this regard, we are working on the development of different proposals aimed at both the purification

Interior lighting becomes an element of design and personal expression

Eliecer Muñoz, Osram

of the air in the passenger compartment, and the sterilisation and sanitisation of the interior surfaces by applying different technologies. Some of these solutions are characterised by their high disruptive impact, such as those based on new membranes or ultra-high efficiency filtration systems (ULPA), generated through additive manufacturing strategies or by electro-spinning technologies”. Regarding sustainability, we investigate in the development of surfaces of the highest quality made with natural materials. For example, we have the eBú, a 100% natural and renewable fabric obtained from bamboo fibres using state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies. This material has obtained the EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) Ecolabel, being the first to do so within the field of automotive interiors. In addition, we work on various lines to

lighten the weight of our components without affecting their performance or the quality of surface finishes. Regarding electrification, at Antolin they point out that “it affects the architecture of the vehicle, since it implies reserving space for the battery systems and that the structural weights are distributed in a new way, so that the safety requirements against possible impacts will be affected. Furthermore, the mechanical simplification of the electric motors contributes to freeing up space in the vehicle cabin. This invites us to imagine and develop new functionalities for our components with which to contribute to improving the sensations of quality, safety and comfort on board”. On the other hand, sources from the Spanish multinational indicate, “in the electric vehicle noises that previously were hidden by the high level of noise of the combustion engine and that, therefore, went unnoticed. For an interior component supplier like us, this means working to develop materials and processes that reduce part tolerance and avoid unwanted vibrations. It also means improving the insulation characteristics of our components. Equally important are the considerations that force us to rethink the aspects of thermal comfort in the cabin of electric vehicles. The limitation of energy available for air conditioning functions requires, for example, to resort to new heating systems with radiant panels that we integrate into our components, as well as to take advantage of synergies with all those aspects

that influence perceptions of comfort (light, acoustic or smell)”. Regarding the use of food product residues and other wastes, has detected that “this demand is increasingly growing from our customers.

Grupo Antolin Vehicle manufacturers ask for sustainable solutions for surfaces and construction materials and they are no longer satisfied with our offering high contents of recycled or recyclable matter, but instead looking for solutions with the highest disruptive impact to enhance their message in terms of sustainability. At present, many of these solutions are based on the use of by-products and residues coming mainly from the agri-food industry for the generation, for example, of surfaces similar to natural leather (vegan leathers) making use of residues of orange, pineapple, mushrooms and other types of natural products. There are even initiatives for the extraction of monomers from urban waste in order to be able to formulate new types of plastics. The Design Department of the Burgos-based company works to show “what our vision of the car of the future (Inspire) is and, at the same time, turn customer concepts into industrial reality. The basis of this design is the perfect combination inside the interior of innovative and natural materials that provide the decorative surfaces with the smart element and added value, with cutting-edge technology to offer entertainment and connectivity

systems and services; and ambient and functional lighting through solutions that use the full potential of new technologies and offer a permanent dialogue with the user. Recently, we have presented our two new virtual concept cars, which reflect our vision of the interior of the car of the future and the latest innovative solutions”. Faced with the technological avalanche that is reaching the vehicle, Grupo Antolin is expanding its international alliances. We recently reached an agreement with Net4Things, a company specialised in mobility and data driven services, for the development of the connected car. Within our strategy of leading the new mobility from inside the vehicle, Grupo Antolin wants to explore the potential of new solutions and business around connectivity and driver services based on data analysis. We also have an alliance with the Israeli start-up CIPIA to develop driver monitoring solutions that improve driving safety. Within the framework of our Innovation strategy, we are reinforcing collaboration with different open innovation ecosystems through participation and support for initiatives and events that strengthen the innovative spirit and technological development”. At Brose they are committed to comfort as another of A SIMPLE GESTURE the fundamental demands of the customer. How do they transform this demand into a reality? Turning the interaction with the vehicle into “an unforgettable experience” that begins even before getting into the seats, with “projections on the floor or in the windows that welcome the driver”, who can open the vehicle door “by means of a simple gesture”. Once inside, each passenger decides how they want to enjoy their trip and the interior “adapts flexibly to the desired use: electronically controlled seats and screens will automatically coordinate their positions”. At the request of the occupants, the “lounge mode” creates a relaxing environment, the seat reclines, the armrests adjust to the user and the seats initiate a relaxing massage synchronised with the music. It sounds like a fantasy, but it is precisely the reality that is projected in the next generation of vehicles, which will combine all these comforts with the advantages of autonomous driving.

Ecological also accompanies visual trends, “and the end consumer likes to feel part of that fact

Arsenio Hidalgo, EPP Natur