In The Spotlight: A Wave, a Touch, a Snap -- Faurecia Demonstrates New Ways to Drive

Imagine opening a glove box with a mere wave of your hand or watching the driver's seat slide to the perfect angles and dimensions for your body automatically, without fussing over any switches or knobs. Technology from Faurecia that is on display at the Frankfurt Motor Show demonstrates how far the industry has come from the days of control buttons and switches. Faurecia vehicle interiors respond in entirely new ways not just to the actions that drivers take but also to the actions they are about to take.

At the Frankfurt Motor Show, Faurecia Interior Systems has introduced a cabin-full of wireless, touch-less, natural-fiber and comfort innovations in its Performance 2.0 demonstrator. The demonstrator's instrument panel incorporates two moveable screens—a small, automated heads-up display (HUD) module above the steering wheel and a centrally located retractable 8-inch touchscreen. The central screen provides passengers with full navigation landscapes and entertainment options, while the HUD projects navigation arrow to minimize distractions.

A notable advanced feature is a radial-sliding glove box that swirls out and opens with a simple gesture from the passenger. Inside, the glove box is covered with cork, while Faurecia's Ligneos real-wood material lines the air vents.

The center console includes an armrest that spirals out and opens with just a touch. Inside is a wireless charging area, equipped for near-field communication and coupling with the vehicle's antenna. MirrorLink technology wirelessly transmits anything from an iPhone in the console to the center retractable screen and streams content wirelessly to a tablet mounted on the back of the driver's seat, with a gesture-based interface.

The door panel is composed of natural fibers and features the industry's first heated armrest, developed by Faurecia for the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Advancements from Faurecia Automotive Seating are equally convenient and offer new levels of weight reduction and comfort. Faurecia is creating seat frames that can be used across an entire vehicle platform—often a dozen or more models—anywhere around the globe. While exceptionally strong and durable, these frames also are weight savers. For example:
• A new generation of Faurecia seat recliners is 35 percent lighter than previous versions.
• The Faurecia E-pump, a powered seat pump for height and postural adjustment, weighs 25 percent less than traditional linear actuators.
• Seat tracks from Faurecia allow savings up to 1 kg per vehicle, compared with previous tracks. With ultra-high-strength steel, proprietary to Faurecia, Ultima tracks enhance energy dissipation in a crash by up to 20 percent.
• The generalized use of high-tensile-strength steels in Faurecia seat frames improves energy dissipation in collisions, providing the same stability and safety as traditional steel but weighing far less.

A Faurecia seat can automatically finds the best adjustments based on the occupant's body dimensions, which can be captured with a smartphone, a sensor or a camera. The user can always fine-tune the settings manually using controls on the seat base or via the vehicle's human-machine interface.

Based on the acclaimed Audi A8 premium seats, Faurecia has developed a family of concepts for automated seat positioning that takes the guesswork out of properly adjusting seats. This anthropometric adjustment can have added features such as the side lumbar supports which adjust to the driver's shape while negotiating the curves of the road or tailoring to back posture by the automatic adjustment of the back lumbar supports. Individually tailored profiles can be generated for each occupant and stored in seat memory.

Moreover, Faurecia has linked seat adjustment to the vehicle's GPS. The contours of a comfortable position in the driver's seat vary as road and traffic conditions change. Faurecia technology integrates the vehicle GPS with the seat's electromechanics to anticipate curves, hills and other changes in the road ahead and adjust the seat accordingly. For example, when a car rounds a curve, centrifugal force tends to throw the driver against the door. Faurecia technology sees the curve coming and inflates a pneumatic bolster to help center the driver in the seat. The GPS also may spot slowed or stopped traffic ahead and adjust the seat for the best position during a rapid slowdown in vehicle speed.

All of these innovations furnish entirely new approaches to customization, comfort and mileage improvement, reflecting Faurecia's commitment to a more enjoyable, stylish and greener way of driving.

More at www.faurecia.com.

Note: This Spotlight article was sponsored by Faurecia. To find out how you can sponsor content in a Spotlight article, contact Van Rohr at vrohr@cbs.com or (248) 327 2757.