With the new generation comes new ideas, eventually changing the trend. It is felt more so in automobiles as trendy, mobile work and living spaces have become much more than just functional aspects, especially with the advent of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and CASE - Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric mobility.
Vehicle interiors are evolving to become extended living and working environments, with drivers and passengers benefiting from materials’ maximum comfort, high-grade design, innovative functionality and durability.
As a provider of innovative ideas for the automotive industry, Germany headquartered Continental actively redefines vehicle interiors.
The technology company supplies all of the world’s innovative and disruptive premium manufacturers with state-of-the-art surface materials, generating about a tenth of its global sales with interior materials for electrically powered vehicles. In 2020 alone, the company produced about 100 million square meters of surface materials, equal to 14,000 German soccer fields or 17,000 American football fields.
The company sees great business potential in this fast-growing segment over the next several years. Therefore, it is stepping up its focus on materials for the interiors of electric and autonomous vehicles and alternative mobility concepts tailored to the design and material requirements of individual customers.
As specialists in surface solutions, it maintains a team of international developers and designers, trend scouts and creative minds collaborating every day from 13 different sites around the globe to ensure that drivers and passengers have safe, comfortable and thoroughly enjoyable on-the-road experiences in their vehicles, now and in future.
With expertise garnered from various industries, including the furniture industry, over decades, the technology major can selectively leverage synergies and create solutions perfectly aligned with its customers’ needs.
Though there is a long way to go for the electrically powered and self-driving vehicles to rule the roads, it is evident that the transformation sweeping across the automotive industry is growing, and the demand for electromobility continues to ride high.
The company is already helping customers from around the world to turn their vehicles’ interiors into modern living and working spaces while at the same time meeting the highest demands in terms of design and functionality.
Future mobility demands eco-friendly and compatible materials
With the staunch belief that electrically powered and autonomous vehicles are sustainable and resource-saving, the demand for unique surface materials for their interiors increases. As a result, customers' interest in green materials grows faster. The vehicle end-users and the OEMs are increasingly calling for interiors made of environmentally friendly components and materials. Furthermore, many drivers of EVs are keen to refrain from materials originating from animals.
To cater to these emerging requirements, Continental’s surface specialists are increasingly concentrating on sustainable and recycled materials. The trend towards light colours and shades of white also indicates the new mindset, which likewise gives rise to materials with a convincingly wood-like, natural look and feel without sacrificing a single tree in their making.
With its broad portfolio of materials, colours, textures and decors, the automotive supplier has each of these requirements covered.
On the other hand, the challenges to be faced are diverse. For example, the fabrics used for light-coloured or white car seats need to be resistant to discolouration from clothing worn by drivers and passengers, e.g. blue jeans, and other coloured fabrics.
Surfaces with special light effects are also in high demand, Continental said. Its translucent Acella Hylite Concept paves the way for the automotive future to create light effects by backlighting surfaces.
Disinfectant-resistant and stain-resistant surface materials
The future of mobility was a hot topic even before the pandemic. However, car-sharing as a concept saw its prospects plummeting during the past year and a half due to the fear of the virus. Therefore, new ideas are needed more than ever. The pandemic has led to much greater attention being placed on surface materials offering special hygienic properties.
For tomorrow’s carsharing concepts, in particular, it is imperative that all of the interior surfaces and fabrics used be antimicrobial, rugged, long-lasting, resistant to soiling and easy to clean and disinfectant-resistant.
No doubt, the changing trends give immense opportunities.