Material solutions for a seamless, fully networked mobility

As the classic function of the driver’s seat is no longer required, the car interior can be completely redesigne

The automotive interior of the future: from 3D multifunctional displays to vegan seat covers Material solutions for a seamless, fully networked mobility

Working with its industry partners, Covestro has developed a new concept for the car of the future, with a seamlessly integrated, multifunctional 3D display; more privacy thanks to sound-absorbing acoustic foams; high quality PU seat covers for low environmental impact; and a new modular table

The car of the future will be fully networked and will integrate seamlessly into everyday life as trends of electric mobility, connectivity and car sharing start to redefine vehicle utility. Vehicle interiors, especially, will undergo groundbreaking change, becoming multifunctional living and working spaces. In order to meet these demands, Covestro has worked alongside its partners to develop a premium concept with material solutions. Highlights of the concept include among others multi-sensory infotainment systems, innovative seating concepts and a sound-insulating dome. High-tech materials from Covestro open up a kaleidoscope of new possibilities for many different components. The company is a leading player in this area.

The car of the future will be a mobile multifunctional living and working space. Displays and indicator instruments will take on a whole new meaning. They will become infotainment systems that will connect passengers with the outside world and provide them with information or entertainment, depending on their use. The interaction between people, cars and the environment will drive innovation in this field. Seeing this challenge as an opportunity will require new concepts in display design and optimal integration in the car cockpit. Together with an industry partner, Covestro has developed a display concept that should meet the increased requirements in terms of optical quality, durability and design standards. The result of this cooperation is the largest three dimensional OLED display to date, which will serve as a seamless interface between humans and cars. Two Covestro materials were used in the display concept: the polycarbonate Makrolon Ai and the polycarbonate film Makrofol. Both thermoplastic products make it possible to fabricate geometrically challenging components that are of good quality and very durable. The high optical purity of the polymers ensures that the OLED display (organic light emitting diodes) provides vibrant colors without distorting the image due to its curved surface. For the production of such highly complex components, Covestro was able to draw on its many years of experience in process development. An ingenious combination of manufacturing technologies ensures the surface design and durability. The surface, shape, haptics and appearance of the component can be individually adapted to the customer’s wishes.

Low-noise mobility was introduced with the electric drive. But the passenger in an electric car will not be able to drive acoustically shielded from his environment either. The quieter engine means that the noise of road traffic reaches his ears all the more loudly, and at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour or even lower the rolling noise of the tires is so loud that the noise level inside an electric vehicle is comparable to that of a car with a combustion engine. As a result, the need for noise reduction remains a central element in a car. To achieve this, Covestro has developed a new concept for noise reduction in the interior. The so-called PrivacyDome is an automatically retractable dome over the head of a passenger that protects him or her from noise and disturbing sounds. The Baynat polyurethane system from Covestro was used in this dome, which has proven highly effective in sound-proofing car interiors. This means that the passenger enjoys peace and quiet independently of other passengers – exactly when he or she wants it. Integrating loudspeakers into the PrivacyDome even allows individual music selection and, in addition, passengers can relax to calming sounds such as the soothing sound of waves on the beach.

Only a few years ago, reference to a “full leather interior” was an indication of a high quality vehicle, and genuine leather was an expression of quality and extravagance. However, this picture has now changed: when making purchasing decisions, today’s customers are focusing more attention on sustainable products with the smallest possible CO2 footprint. So, Covestro developed its water-based Insqin technology in order to create a sustainable, efficient and permanent polyurethane coating for textiles and to produce high-quality synthetic materials, especially for car interiors. Conventional synthetics are often produced using organic solvents. For years, such volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been subject to emission reduction measures. This is why Covestro is relying on a water-based coating technology that does not require solvents. Compared with the previous solvent-based coagulation process, this efficient technology not only saves up to 95% water and up to 50% energy, but the vehicle interior is also significantly less polluted by VOC emissions. As an alternative to animal leather, Insqin products offer several advantages: due to their lower weight, they increase the efficiency of a vehicle and thus reduce its fuel or electricity consumption. Thanks to modern production methods, they are durable, sustainable and recyclable. Insqin products are already well established in the textile coating industry and have impressed in many application areas. In vehicle interiors, they now provide an opportunity to completely redesign and reuse surfaces. Designers and drivers both benefit from this, as the color, feel and light permeability of surfaces can be customized. Because translucent effects can be achieved even with dark colors, indicator lights or buttons can be easily installed under the surface – a glance or the push of a button becomes an experience.

In the PrivacyDome, an automatically retractable dome, the Baynatpolyurethane system from Covestro ensures effective sound absorption The result of the new concept is the largest three-dimensional OLED display to date, which can act as a seamless interface between people, cars and the outside world

Vegan water-based Insqin technology for textile coating offers the same attractive appearance as leather, but at a lower cost and with reduced solvent emissions. Furthermore, it allows light to shine through the coated surface, creating an all new kind of ambient lighting

Many things will change in the car of the future. New forms of mobility will turn the car into a multifunctional, mobile living and working space, that also need to be comfortable and appealing. Covestro takes things one step further by using Maezio: a continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite (CFRTP), extremely robust and lightweight, which also provides opportunities for high-quality and aesthetic design. One such current example of what is possible is a space-saving, modular table concept for autonomous vehicles, developed by Covestro in cooperation with Engel Austria and Dr. Schneider Unternehmensgruppe as a direct supplier to the automotive industry. The objective was to construct a normal-sized table that is as thin as an Ultrabook, and can be stowed just as easily, for instance between the back seats, but is mechanically extremely durable. This table measures 41 cm in length and 32 cm in width, with its thickness increasing from 5 mm on the outer edge towards the inside to 10 mm – which is less than half the thickness of conventional car tables. The later fitting of hinges, already accounted for in the molding process, and ready-molded trays for pen and tablet reduce the number of components and save weight. An initial version featuring a sandwich construction is shown in the interior concept. The upper and lower sides each consist of 1 millimeter thin layers of the polycarbonate composite material. The sandwich core is a rigid low-density polyurethane (PU) integral skin foam based on Baydur 20. Weighing just 690 grams, the table is twice the size of a conventional one and can even be loaded with 50 kg instead of 5 kg. The manufacturing process was developed with partners at the LIT Factory of the Linz Institute of Technology (LIT) at Johannes Kepler University (JKU) in Linz, Austria. Here, with the help of digitalization, potentials ranging from product development to reuse can be optimally identified and leveraged. The second step of the project aims at enabling a smooth and economic large-scale production of the table with series-proven processes and to transfer the know-how gained to other applications of CFRTP composites. www.covestro.com