Driven by an increased focus on printed and flexible electronics in order to show differentiation by the manufacturers, there are extensive opportunities for this segment within automotive interiors, says the new report from IDTechEx.
In the report - Printed and Flexible Electronics for Automotive Applications 2021-2031: Technologies and Markets, IDTechEx outlines the current status and opportunities for printed/flexible electronics across 11 application areas, along with 10-year market forecasts by revenue and volume, multiple application case studies, and assessments of commercial and technological readiness.
While vehicle interiors might be an easy target for emerging technologies based on printed/flexible electronics, the research and consultancy firm states that there are also a plethora of opportunities for vehicle exteriors inlcuding transparent heaters to solar panels benefit in terms of transparency, conformality, low weight, and tunable absorption spectra.
EVs fuel growth for transparent heaters
IDTechEx states that cameras and LIDAR in autonomous vehicles or advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) will always need a clear view of the road. However, it is significantly more challenging in an EV since far less residual heat is generated than a conventional combustion engine. It is the same in LED headlights; though they are much more efficient than halogen bulbs, they generate insufficient waste heat that can help melt ice on the headlight covers.
The solution to this challenge is to develop transparent heaters, which can be achieved by embedding printed metal wiring via in-mould electronics (IME) or using transparent conductors such as silver nanowires and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or metal mesh. Over a period of time, the cost of these technologies will come down, which will see application in windows as well, making scraping ice off car windows a thing of the past, the report said.
Connected cars demand more integrated antennas
As vehicles become more connected every passing year, the need for several antennas to cover multiple frequency bands is increasing. It can be addressed by integrating these antennas into plastic body panels, which could be achieved using either in-mould electronics or printing directly on the 3D surfaces.
In addition, windows can double up as an area of vehicles for placing printed antennas. But, again, this approach would require transparent conductors.
Hybrid short-wave infra-red (SWIR) for ADAS
ADAS and autonomous vehicles will require a continuous stream of information about their surroundings. These data is likely to emerge from several sources including LIDAR, RADAR, and cameras, to increase redundancies, an approach known as sensor fusion.
The demand for a range of sensors creates an opportunity for SWIR sensors, which require a layer of printed semiconducting material on top of a CMOS readout circuit. The report says that the printed layer can either be an organic semiconductor or quantum dots, with the aim in both cases of extending the spectral sensitivity beyond that of silicon into the SWIR region.
Imaging in the SWIR spectral region (1000-2000 nm) is especially desirable for vehicles since light scatters less at a longer wavelength, enabling objects to be identified at longer distances in fog or dust. However, the incumbent technology for SWIR image sensors is prohibitively expensive, so innovative technologies such as hybrid partially printed sensors are required.
Increase battery life with photovoltaics
While photovoltaics will never be able to power a car continuously over a long journey, they enable around 30 km of distance to be added each day. It will also remove the need to recharge for short trips around cities, significantly increasing convenience. In addition, it can provide power for ancillaries such as air conditioning when the vehicle is parked without drawing the batteries.
At present, the few EVs with integrated solar panels use silicon photovoltaics, which is the established technology with proven durability. However, emerging thin-film photovoltaics such as those based on organic and even perovskite semiconductors are promising alternatives due to their low weight and conformality. The latter is essential if solar panels are to one day coat the entire exterior surface of the car, as, unlike rigid flat silicon panels, there would be no need to compromise on styling or aerodynamics, opines IDTechEx.
Exterior displays for autonomous vehicles
As vehicles become increasingly autonomous, they will need to interact with pedestrians. Low-cost printed/flexible displays are ideal for these vehicles as low weight, durability, and conformality (including in an accident) are more important than resolution. Possible approaches include printed LEDs and mounting LEDs on flexible substrates, the report said.
Courtesy: IDTechEx. NB: Photo is representational.