Page 7 - Autonomous Vehicle Engineering (January 2020)

Yanfeng’s succession
of concept vehicles
(this is XiM18) demonstrate
leading-edge ideas such as
multi-configurable seating and
Yanfeng “smart” surfaces and trim. These are
projected to enhance any interior, not
just those of highly automated vehicles.

a cozy booth in a secluded room, or tables outside on It’s an acquisition strategy many automotive interiors
the sidewalk that let you watch people go by. suppliers are mimicking.
“Clarion has that expertise in center stacks
A cocoon for all and some of the ADAS [advanced driver-assistance
The notion of individualized environments for each systems],” Fletemier noted. He said the company is
vehicle occupant is not new. It wasn’t until MaaS became working with partners as an integrator for what it calls
a reality – first through ride-hailing/ridesharing enter- the Cockpit of the Future (CoF), elements of which it
prises and now in an expanding spectrum of autono- intended to reveal at CES 2020 in a current-generation
mous-shuttle demonstration projects – that the need Ford F-150.
to create distinctly segmented cabin spaces became Fletemier said the choice of the F-150 was
obvious. Considerable interior design and technology intended to demonstrate the near-term viability of
development is now committed to deploying aspects many of the CoF innovations. “That’s a great vehicle
of the individual-space ideal in the near-term market. for us to be able to showcase because we’re [already] a
Soon-to-be-seen are MaaS-inspired personaliza- major supplier of the product,” he said. “It allows us to
tion innovations such as interior supplier Faurecia’s take those technologies and to showcase them as one,
“audio bubble.” These seats are designed with audio as in what’s possible inside of that interior.”
drivers embedded in the back and bottom cushions, Seating and electrical specialist Lear’s riff on
coupled with sound-shaping software to direct audio personalized audio spaces is called SoundZone. The
content only to that seat’s occupant. company expects upcoming ridesharing models fitted
Like other cabin-systems suppliers, Faurecia is with its Intu intelligent seats to offer the feature, which it
evolving into a true technology integrator, said Todd promotes as “the ultimate in customization and privacy.
Fletemier, VP of Midwest Technology Platform. A similar concept applies to heating and cooling.
Development of the audio bubble will likely be Personalized thermal management lets every occupant
aided by Faurecia’s early-2019 acquisition of Japan- enjoy a seat that enables an individual climate zone.
based audio specialist Clarion, creating the new These systems will be particularly useful in electric
Faurecia Clarion Electronics (FCE) business unit. vehicles, where maintaining climate control for the

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