1. technology and computing

2014 NAIAS Press Kit
Table of Contents
Featured Innovations ..............................................................................................3
•Performance 2.0............................................................................................................................. 4
•Exhaust Dynamic Sound Technologies.......................................................................................... 7
• The Composite Future.................................................................................................................... 9
• Oasis Seat....................................................................................................................................... 11
Green & Light ..........................................................................................................13
•Lightweight Exhaust Valves............................................................................................................ 14
• BioAttitude...................................................................................................................................... 15
• Exhaust Heat Recovery................................................................................................................... 17
• Seat Metal Technologies................................................................................................................ 18
• ASDS (Ammonia Storage and Delivery System)............................................................................ 21
• SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) Blue Box............................................................................... 22
Life on Board ...........................................................................................................23
•Sculpted Seat Covers..................................................................................................................... 24
• Sculpted Light Seatback Panel...................................................................................................... 25
• Premium Decoration and Surfaces................................................................................................ 26
• Mercedes-Benz M/GL-Class AMG................................................................................................. 27
• Seat Trim........................................................................................................................................ 28
• Premium Bumpers......................................................................................................................... 29
• WiCharge........................................................................................................................................ 30
INTRODUCTION
One hundred years ago, Henry Ford’s moving
assembly line transformed Detroit into the
birthplace of manufacturing technology. Today,
southeast Michigan remains the home of global
automotive innovation, and it is an important
center of Faurecia’s development and
production activities.
As the world’s sixth-largest supplier to the auto
industry, Faurecia offers solutions that make
vehicles lighter, more comfortable and more
connected. January 13 - 16, Faurecia celebrates
the 2014 North American International Auto Show
by demonstrating the next technologies that the
automotive community will be offering inside,
outside and under the vehicle.
From noise-canceling speakers integrated into
exhaust systems to instrument panels with
gesture-based controls, from ultra-luxurious
seating for chauffeured vehicles—with separate
positions for working, entertainment and
massage—to interior structures made with
100 percent natural materials, Faurecia displays
new concepts for the future and new products that
are ready for the road.
2
Featured Innovations
The auto industry is about to change its perspective on
everything from seating comfort to connectivity inside
the car, sustainable structural materials and even the
sound of the vehicle’s exhaust system. During the North
American International Auto Show, these new paths for
vehicle design and performance are revealed in four
featured innovations that Faurecia is introducing to
the auto industry.
• Instrument panels with retractable screens, a touchless glove box, a wireless charging area that streams video to front and rear displays, and other clever innovations
transform previously static interiors into highly
connected spaces for convenience and entertainment.
• Even the exhaust system evolves into a new generation
of exhaust components that cancel out noise and
replace it with a choice of more pleasing
computer-generated sounds.
• Faurecia demonstrates its focus on making lightweight composite materials for external structures, from
bumpers to deck lids, affordable not just on luxury
vehicles but on mainstream cars as well.
• A seat for chauffeured executives that reconfigures itself for office, entertainment and massaging
relaxation environments, and represents levels
of comfort and convenience far beyond traditional
seating options.
With featured innovations from Faurecia, the next
cars on the road will be changing the industry’s
expectations for how cars and trucks should look,
feel, sound and weigh.
3
Performance 2.0: Smart, Green and Practical Interiors
Faurecia has redefined ‘upscale’ by moving premium
quality, luxury and convenience down to midmarket and
base models. Traditionally, innovations in vehicle interiors
appear first in high-end vehicles before flowing down to
the cars that average drivers buy. For the North American
International Auto Show, however, Faurecia Interior
Systems revitalizes everyday vehicles with plentiful
innovations from armrest to glove box, from instrument
panel to floorboard. Performance 2.0 offers smart
and practical ideas for addressing design, surfaces,
connectivity and comfort.
This coordinated array of Faurecia technologies
populates Performance 2.0, an interior concept
with which the mainstream consumer can interact
and a new description of interior performance that
emphasizes light weight, refined materials and
decoration with functionality.
The Performance 2.0 demonstrator is a cutaway
front-cabin interior built around brand-new ideas
for the instrument panel, driver’s door, console,
floor and interior integration with seating.
4
3
Instrument Panel 2.0
The slim-design Performance 2.0 instrument panel is
light in weight and brilliant in its technology. It features
two retractable screens. The first is a head-up display
(HUD) that replaces conventional gauges with a seethrough view of important driving information. Placed
above the steering wheel, this small projection module,
called a combiner, lies flat and hidden away when
the engine is off and tilts up when the car is started.
Additionally, the instrument panel offers a retractable
viewing and interaction area using a larger, 8-inch touch
screen in the area where a conventional infotainment
system might have been located.
The spaciousness of the instrument panel is bounded
by bright and stylish air vents that shun traditional fins. Instead, the Performance 2.0 demonstrator features large
open driver-oriented decorative vents to the left, right and
above the steering wheel, as well as two defroster vents,
a large central diffuse vent called SmartVent 2.0 and
DecoVent, a decorative air vent on the passenger side.
These sleek vents combine decoration with functionality
For example, the passenger’s DecoVent displays
graphics in the daytime and is backlit at night.
In addition, below the central retractable screen,
DecoControl uses capacitive switches with haptic
feedback while a black panel effect presents icons
for interaction with air blowers and connections to
infotainment features, which light up only when needed.
Lightweight, natural fibers and textures form much of
the substance of the instrument panel. A spacious swath
across the top of the center and passenger side portions
of the IP is composed of Ligneos, a real-wood material
developed by Faurecia for use over large areas of interior
surfaces. It is formed from a natural-fiber-based carrier.
Between that area and the windscreen is a textile-covered
carrier, and Ligneos also lines driver-side air vents. The
inside of the glove box is covered with cork, a renewable
material. Functional decoration is added to the IP through
a foil-covered top, while DecoLight adds a lighting pattern
at night and displays a black panel effect when not in use.
All this brilliance is achieved with the lightest of touches.
Faurecia’s Slim IP can be manufactured from less
material than conventional instrument panels. The
natural-fiber carriers translate to less material as well,
reducing weight from 1,600 grams per square meter
down to 1,000 grams per square meter.
Technology spirals upward in Performance 2.0 with the
armrest atop the center console, which spins out and
opens with just a touch. Inside the console is a wireless
charging area for smartphones, neatly hidden behind a
continuous flexible tambour door covered with Ligneos
wood decoration. The smartphone storage area also
provides near-field communication and couples the
phone with the vehicle’s own antenna to enhance the
phone’s connectivity.
In Performance 2.0, the owner’s phone becomes a hub
for information and entertainment for passengers in both
the front and back seats. Through MirrorLink technology,
an iPhone’s screen is displayed on the center retractable
screen for passengers, while information available
to the driver is restricted to that which is needed to
operate the vehicle, thereby avoiding distractions.
MirrorLink recognizes the phone owner’s playlist and
can interact with it on the retractable screen. It can
also stream the smartphone’s contents to a tablet
mounted on the back of the driver’s seat to display
videos, sightseeing updates and other information.
Everything that can be retrieved online by a smartphone
can be displayed on the back tablet through a completely
wireless connection that uses a gesture-based interface.
The brightest part of Performance 2.0 is its very
intelligent technology. For example, the passenger can
open the radial sliding glove box with a simple gesture.
A mere wave of the hand commands the box to extend
out and rotate open.
5
3
Door panel
Driver Seat
One of Faurecia’s most practical new comfort innovations
is a heated armrest for the Performance 2.0 driver’s door. A Faurecia invention that already is becoming popular
in chilly environments, the heated armrest has been
adopted by Mercedes-Benz for its new S-Class vehicle.
The armrest is covered with a textile that is backlit and
displays patterns in the daytime. The forward portion of
the armrest is covered with an unusual colored anodized
aluminum surface containing engraved graphics. The
surface can be fashioned in yellow, green, black or gray.
Performance 2.0 represents the first time this material
has been used this way in cars.
Seating comfort and convenience are critical to advanced
performance, and the seat inside the Performance 2.0
demonstrator showcases these attributes through the
combined technology of Faurecia Automotive Seating and
Interior Systems. Instead of conventional cut-and-sew
covering, the seats sport cover-carving technology. In this
process, a textile is covered with foam on the back and
then pressed into place to give the seat shape and
a seamless surface. The seat continues the use of
aluminum decoration on its comfort-control switches
and is decorated with an aluminum strip on the side.
A combination of design features positions the
Performance 2.0 seat very distinctly in its styling
between Faurecia’s Sculpted Cover and traditional
material. The Sculpted Cover on the front cushion
of the seat presents a smooth surface and eliminates
creases. It is sewn together with traditional material
using a decorative sewing line called the Flat Seam,
an exclusive decorative seam that involves four threads
to offer an endless color mix.
Lightweight natural materials shape the door panel,
which is based on a natural-fiber carrier and covered
with carpet to cushion the driver. The carpet material
harmonizes with the floor carpet. The door panel’s pocket
is made of Ligneco, Faurecia’s own visible-natural-fiber
material, exposing surfaces usually hidden and covered,
thereby not adding weight from covering material.
The plastic backrest of the Performance 2.0 seat is
lighter than that of standard seats, and it includes
a docking station for a 10-inch-screen tablet. An
adjustable button keeps the tablet in a stable
position; the tablet holder is a Faurecia-patented
system. The tablet can be charged using an integrated
wireless charging module. With its elevated level of
technology, Performance 2.0 brings a new Faurecia
approach to a performance interior that combines
HMI connectivity, kinematics design, decoration and
comfort expertise.
Even the floor is unique, with ridges and woven
patterns molded into the areas in front of the
passenger’s seat, leaving room for floor mats,
while the visual dash insulator combines function
with decorative surface design.
6
Exhaust Dynamic Sound Technologies (EDST™): A New Voice for Vehicles
Just as a person’s voice may reveal much about the
individual’s lineage and character, a vehicle’s voice
often indicates its status and anticipated performance. Acoustics are a vital element of the car’s persona and
buyers have expectations of the way their vehicles should
sound in traffic or on the open road. A premium car
should project refined power. A smaller car may sound
less powerful but brand identification may require
a sporty exhaust note.
Exhaust Dynamic Sound Generation (EDSG™)
The voice of diesel powertrains may be nearly silenced
by after-treatment devices that are developed to reduce
emissions. Manufacturers of diesel-powered vehicles are
required to add emissions control devices which not only
reduce emissions but also suppress exhaust noise. These
high-powered, premium diesel vehicles lack a premium exhaust note. Consequently, drivers often are discouraged
when their six or eight-cylinder engine lacks the
full-throated sound they expect to hear.
Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies has developed
a clever solution to this conundrum: advanced technology
enabling car manufacturers to generate extra sound for
diesel vehicles. The system, placed at the end of the
exhaust line, adjacent to the tailpipe, incorporates
a speaker encapsulated in a metal or plastic housing.
The speaker is activated by the vehicle’s engine electronic
control unit (ECU), which prompts it to emit specifically
designed sounds. The sound level and type are computed
by the engine ECU, based on the vehicle’s speed and
engine load, and the technology duplicates sounds
that are similar to those of powerful gasoline cars.
Exhaust Dynamic Sound Generation also provides new
flexibility to vehicle designers. In creating the exhaust
system, the designer normally is locked into a defined set
of exhaust packaging specifications that are very difficult
to change later in the design process. Dynamic Sound
Generation allows the exhaust sound to be shaped at any
time in that process, even at the last minute, freeing the
designer from previous restrictions.
7
Exhaust Dynamic Sound Cancellation (EDSC)
The Demonstrator
The reverse problem impacts dual turbo-charged
gasoline-powered vehicles; they often produce too
much noise, and may not be the powerful note that is
expected by the driver. For these vehicles, Faurecia has
developed the equivalent of a noise-cancelling headset for
the exhaust system. This solution places a speaker in the
exhaust assembly, near the end of the tailpipe, to cancel a
full range of frequencies. An algorithm integrated into the
ECU produces a sound wave that is completely out
of phase with the offending sound wave traveling through
the pipe. As the driver throttles up or slows down, the
ECU constantly monitors the frequency and changes
the sound that the speaker generates to keep the
opposing frequencies in sync. At the end of the tailpipe,
these frequencies cancel each other out, leaving
a reduced level of exhaust noise.
During the North American International Auto Show,
Faurecia is demonstrating Dynamic Sound Cancellation
and Dynamic Sound Generation.
The Faurecia technology then takes this sound control
a step farther. After the undesired noise is canceled,
the ECU uses the same speaker to generate a more
pleasing and appropriate sound in its place, just as it does
for Dynamic Sound Generation in diesels. The types of
sound that this system can produce are unlimited, but
for practical purposes the system creates an engine
exhaust sound that enhances the image of the vehicle.
A four-cylinder midsize car, for instance, could assume
the sound of a six-cylinder premium vehicle. The system
can even be used for hybrids to cancel out the exhaust
noise when the gasoline-powered engine is running, making the ICE transitions transparent to the user.
The most effective combinations of dynamic sound
generation and dynamic sound cancellation are
currently being considered by the industry. In many
vehicles, the algorithm will be integrated into the
engine ECU; in others, a standalone control module
will be installed to modify the sound by communicating
with the engine ECU. Faurecia is ready and leading with
the entire scope of sound design options, from ECU to
speakers to packaging of the technology.
At the Faurecia booth, visitors have the opportunity to
experience these technologies by using an iPad to play
a variety of recorded sound signatures, starting with
a full passive exhaust sound, then cancelling the noise
and adding the sounds of a six- or eight-cylinder car to
a four-cylinder vehicle engine. In the demonstrator, the
hardware that makes Exhaust Dynamic Sound possible is
visible under a full-scale model of a vehicle’s rear fascia.
Ford Edge Lightweight Cold-End System:
Stronger and Lighter
Faurecia utilizes its Adaptive Valve™ to create
a lightweight concept based on the current production
cold-end system supplied by Faurecia Emissions
Control Technologies for the Ford Edge. The concept
demonstrates the potential for a significant weight
reduction; in this case over 40%. The self-actuated
Adaptive Valve™ reduces both exhaust noise and system
mass. Placed in the intermediate pipe, before the rear
muffler, it significantly contributes to weight reduction
by allowing the total muffler volume to be significantly
reduced. Combined with a number of other mass
reducing initiatives, like thinner pipes and simpler
silencer designs, the total cold-end mass is further
reduced until the system’s mass is reduced by almost
9kg (over 20 pounds).
New powertrain strategies utilize higher horsepower, lower cylinder count engines. Coupled with EDSC™, EDSG™
can be used to enhance the otherwise
understated sound of these engines, better matching
the vehicle sound to customer expectations.
Faurecia is preparing its Exhaust Dynamic Sound
Technologies for the 2017 model year, and industry
fascination with this technology is already growing.
Half a dozen global automakers have expressed interest
in the system for both premium and mainstream vehicles.
8
Composite Future: Creating Composites for the Mass Market
The auto industry is in the process of reinventing the
materials from which it makes cars and trucks as it
prepares to substitute composites for more conventional
plastics and metals. Faurecia is ready to lead the
expansion of the role of composites in the creation
of structural, semi-structural and decoration parts
for passenger vehicles.
The value of composites in making vehicles much
lighter has been acknowledged for many years by
those who build racing cars and sport & luxury vehicles.
Now composites are preparing to play an ever larger role
in the design of vehicle structural, semi-structural and
A-class body parts, prompted by government regulations
that set stricter mileage standards for vehicles all over
the world: lighter-weight steels will not be sufficient to
decrease the vehicle weight more than 20%. The Composites Challenge
In the auto industry, composites have shown up
primarily in the sport and luxury segments, and
even then only very sparsely. Composites
are about to become much more widely applied,
however, as Faurecia Automotive Exteriors develops
methods to produce composites in high volumes,
applying breakthrough processes and materials, for
use in mass-market applications at an affordable cost.
Two options are available open in terms of process
and materials.
The first option is linked to the use of thermosets, which
combine fiberglass and / or carbon fibers. Although
thermoset is durable, it cannot be easily recycled; it
only can be broken into pieces. The second option
replaces thermoset with a thermoplastic resin, which
could be melted and reused. Additionally, thermoplastic
composites can be welded, while thermoset must be
glued or screwed to structures, a process that adds
weight for joining. It may also absorb some energy
during a crash.
Thermoplastic presents its own challenges, however—
issues that Faurecia is taking on in its researching
of methodologies to produce carbon/thermoplastic
composites that overcome inherent barriers in the
material. Among these obstacles is the fact that the
melting point of thermoplastic in a composite is only
300° to 320°F, insufficient to tolerate the electro-coating
processes, with temperatures of more than 390°F,
used for all mass-produced vehicles.
Also, while existing thermoset parts may require up
to 20 minutes to manufacture semi-structural or
structural parts, Faurecia is working on developing
efficient, short-cycle-time processes for thermoset
resins as well.
9
Composite solutions for today’s
and tomorrow’s vehicles
Faurecia exhibits a single, stylized demonstrator during
the North American International Auto Show to showcase
the full range of its composite technology know-how, from
visible to semi-structural and structural parts.
In the exhibit, Faurecia also shows exposed carbon parts,
a domain of excellence mastered by Faurecia Automotive
Exteriors. That market segment is growing rapidly not
only in sports cars, but also in premium vehicles.
Despite the meticulous processes required for exposed
carbon fibers, automakers are eager to use visible carbon
exterior components to differentiate their vehicles and
display a higher-end version of their car.
The Composite Future demonstrator
The Composite Future demonstrator emphasizes
Faurecia Automotive Exteriors’ focus on:
• Outside body parts such as fenders, spoilers and roofs (painted or exposed carbon)
• Composite closures such as hoods, doors and liftgates
(full composite or hybrid steel or aluminum solutions)
• Semi-structural or structural parts such as the spare tire tray, rear & front floor, firewall and structural beam. Faurecia estimates that increased use of composite
materials for structural parts could reduce the weight
of these components by 40 percent versus steel, and
such savings are not very far away. Faurecia Automotive
Exteriors is targeting these processes and materials for
use in the 2018-2020 generation of vehicles.
10
An OASIS of comfort and advanced features
Since its 2013 introduction to the industry, the Faurecia
OASIS concept seat has been prompting automakers
to reconsider the roles that luxurious and customized
seating may play in the life of a vehicle owner. Designed
as a plush and personalized space for chauffeured
travelers, OASIS is the offspring of all of Faurecia’s
competencies in comfort and quality, combined into
a single seat.
Created for long versions of the world’s most
sophisticated chauffeured limousines, OASIS provides
high-end functionalities, intelligent kinematics and
best-in-class comfort.
Stylish configurations for work,
play and relaxation
The OASIS seat converts to four positions: the entry
configuration for entering the vehicle, the upright
business position for working and communicating,
the entertainment position for enjoying video and
audio, and the nearly reclined position for relaxation.
In the business position, the passenger can enjoy
all the benefits of electronic communications and
personal computing from a large, adjustable screen
mounted on the back of the front seat. As soon as the
occupant sits in the seat, a “hot key” emerges from
a human-machine interface (HMI) at the left hand.
With the HMI, the passenger controls all the functions
of work, entertainment and comfort systems enveloping
the seat, with no need to select from the dozens of
buttons and switches that pepper other chauffeured
vehicles. Totally in command, the passenger can simply
wave a hand and select from onscreen menu items to
carry out any communications function.
When the time arrives for a break from work, OASIS
reclines slightly into the entertainment position, where its
occupant can watch movies or enjoy music. All selections
are controlled through the HMI in the center console.
In its relaxation position, OASIS reclines to a nearly
horizontal orientation. Individually adjustable leg rests
support the passenger, a considerable improvement over
other vehicles that furnish only a single rest for both legs.
As OASIS reclines, its headrest is released to transform
into a neck roll. Once in relaxation mode, the occupant
can command massagers that are applied to the
shoulders, back, seat cushion and calves. Twenty
massage cells perform shiatsu-like, focused pressure
for a strong and effective massage session.
11
Innovation at your fingertips
With every move and every position, comfort adjustments
follow the occupant as the OASIS high-quality leather
seat adds customized dimensions to the passenger
experience. A very small head-tracking camera mounted
in the back of the front seat detects the height of the
OASIS occupant and automatically adjusts the headrest
to the right position, while simultaneously adjusting the
cushion length and side bolster for optimum comfort.
The seat back is adjusted in a novel way as well.
Normally, seat backs recline from a point at the
bottom of the seat, but this motion tends to pull on
the occupant’s clothing. OASIS reclines from a “natural
pivot” point on its own axis, at the same point where
the body rotates around the hip. Moreover, the upper
backrest angle can be adjusted independently of the
lower portion of the backrest, and its depth can be
increased or decreased to match cushion length.
Pneumatic side bolsters are adjustable to the
occupant’s body and can be positioned tightly, as
in a sports seat, or very flat for additional comfort.
OASIS reflects luxury in its materials and its character.
Its interior is partly trimmed in silk that wraps around the
outline of the backrest. The HMI creates the impression
of a 3D pearlescent effect, like a shell, and other trim is
crafted in wood and aluminum. Ambient light is featured
in the HMI and around the video screen.
In every position, OASIS reveals the concept and
intelligent design for a brand-new generation of
ultra-premium seats by Faurecia.
12
Green & Light
In the vehicles rolling onto our roads today, green must
be a given, not just a goal. Legislative restrictions in
North America, Europe and elsewhere around the
world mandate lower-emission, more easily recyclable
vehicles, and the health of all citizens of the world
demands cleaner air and more caution with our
natural environment.
To help achieve this green world, the auto industry must
create lighter, more sustainable vehicles, systems and
components. Faurecia has long pursued the development
of weight-reducing materials that use natural, renewable
resources. Now it has advanced that commitment to
incorporate environmentally friendly structures and
fabrics for interiors, new approaches to directly
lowering emissions and fuel consumption,
energy recovery systems, substitutions for
oil-based plastics and replacing engine noise
with designed sound.
As demonstrated for the North American International
Auto Show, Faurecia innovations signal green and light
at every turn.
13
3
Exhaust Valves: Lower Noise, Lighter Weight for Vehicles
Valves are not new to the emissions industry. They
continue to be used to suppress engine noise by creating
a variable flow restriction in the exhaust line. Faurecia’s
valves can be either self-actuated by the flow of exhaust
gases or actively controlled by a pneumatic or electronic
actuator. Faurecia produces the most widely accepted
in-pipe passive valves and is working to make the
active valve affordable for a wider range of vehicles. Adaptive Valve™
The Adaptive Valve™ is Faurecia’s most widely used
passive valve. It is located within the exhaust pipe and
is activated by exhaust flow. This variable restriction
significantly reduces tailpipe noise at low rpm’s while
providing progressively lower restriction at higher engine
speeds. Smaller silencers, (up to 35%) enabled by the
application of the Adaptive Valve™, result in a chain
reaction of mass-saving strategies. To date, exhaust
system design studies incorporating the benefits of the
Adaptive Valve™ have yielded mass reductions up to
50% over the current systems. Additionally, the Adaptive
Valve™ decreases sensitivity to engine outputs, enabling
a single exhaust system architecture across an entire
vehicle platform that generally incorporates multiple
powertrain, top hat and wheelbase combinations –
a paradigm shift.
The Adaptive Valve™ has proved to be very popular with
automakers. For example, Faurecia will supply General
Motors with nearly one million valves per year, beginning
in 2014.
Actuated Valve
Actuated valves are primarily used to give good low
frequency NVH performance while optimizing
backpressure. This makes them especially well
suited to high-performance applications. OEM’s work
with Faurecia to utilize precise valve control to tune
the NVH characteristics to match driver expectations;
revealing the sporty note inherent to a powerful engine.
This technology also allows the seamless use of cylinder
deactivation to achieve improved fuel economy. As with
many technologies initially introduced in premium
markets, the use of actuated valves in higher volume
applications will expand rapidly.
In-muffler Valve
The self-actuated in-muffler valve offers the potential
for a cost-optimized solution to low RPM NVH refinement. Faurecia’s experience in the Asian market, where idle
noise is highly regulated, allows us to leverage this
technology for our North American customers.
The in-muffler valve enables OEM’s to develop cost
competitive systems; solving low frequency NVH
issues without additional silencer volume. This wide portfolio of valve options places Faurecia
at the top of the emissions control industry, meeting
the needs of our customers at many price points and
performance levels.
Faurecia’s Adaptive Valve™ is synonymous with low mass,
simplicity and robust NVH performance.
14
BioAttitude: Completely Bio-Based Structures
The introduction of Faurecia’s BioAttitude program marks
a positive tipping point in the pursuit of totally natural materials for use not only as coverings and fabrics but now
for actual physical structures within vehicle interiors.
For the past seven years, Faurecia Interior Systems
researchers have progressed toward the development
of new bio-based, lightweight and recyclable materials
inside the car to provide a significant improvement in
mileage and emissions reduction as well as in the
proportion of the vehicle that can be recycled.
NAFILEAN
Faurecia’s BioAttitude begins with NAFILean (Natural
Fiber for Lean Injected design), a process for introducing
green content into high-performance material for injected
instrument panels, door panels and center consoles on
such components as trim parts, top covers, and defroster
and closure ducts.
Faurecia’s NAFILean is unique in the automotive interiors
marketplace, incorporating natural fibers into injected
material to enable complex shapes and architectures,
as well as lower weight. NAFILean combines a natural,
hemp-based fiber with polypropylene. This mixture
produces injected parts with a substantial 20 to 25
percent weight savings in comparison with standard
injection-molded parts. It also reduces the overall
environmental impact through the components’
lifecycle by 20 to 25 percent. NAFILean can be used
in traditional injection machines.
Most notably, the fiber portion of the NAFILean mixture
is a renewable material, and the industry has validated
NAFILean’s end-of-life recyclability through integration
within the standard plastics treatment and regeneration
processes.
Now those efforts have produced a method of integrating
natural fibers with new polymers for interior structures.
As for quality, NAFILean has demonstrated a 40 percent
improvement in fit and finish. NAFILean stands as
a distinct market solution from Faurecia.
BioAttitude is Faurecia’s declaration of achievement
in further impacting vehicle lifecycle assessment,
reducing weight and CO2 emissions and, perhaps
most important, sharply lowering dependence on
the oil market.
BioAttitude is demonstrated through products
and processes that Faurecia has developed for
using injection and compression methods in
production of parts based on natural fibers.
For each of these three methodologies, the
BioAttitude exhibit displays a door panel
fashioned from the substance.
15
BioMat
In a breakthrough effort that may have environmental,
economic and policy impacts on North America,
Faurecia has accelerated beyond the natural fiber
and thermoplastic mixture of NAFILean to invent
a completely bio-based material for interiors.
Faurecia’s BioMat project is ready to roll out an
injection material with 100 percent natural fibers
in a bio-based matrix, eliminating oil-based materials.
Working with Mitsubishi Chemicals and other partners
in universities and the chemical industry, Faurecia has
succeeded in extracting substances for the matrix
portion of the material from natural sources. In 2012,
Faurecia signed a research and development agreement
with Mitsubishi Chemicals Corporation to finalize the
development of an optimized polybutylene succinate
(PBS) for automotive applications. PBS replaces the
polypropylene as the matrix material. In BioMat,
PBS is combined with hemp-based fibers to produce
a material made totally from natural substances.
In its creation of this product and its associated
processes, Faurecia was confronted with many
technical challenges presented by the nature of
the materials. These included overcoming potential
biodegradation, ensuring the stability of the matrix
when exposed to environmental factors, reducing its high
viscosity, dealing with natural variability in fibers, and
creating a new process for manufacturing the material.
Faurecia developed a series of patent-pending solutions
to eliminate each of these obstacles and emerged from
the development effort with BioMat technology, a sound,
highly versatile and lightweight natural material for the
global automotive market that is expected to begin
showing up in vehicles on the road as early as 2016.
BioMat stands as one of the most important
applications of natural materials in the automotive
marketplace. It reduces the industry’s dependence
on fluctuating oil prices and availability while helping
to reduce greenhouse gases. It also contributes to
a higher recyclability level for future vehicles, as well
as to a positive impact on lifecycle assessment.
LignoLite and NFPP
The third methodology that Faurecia has developed for
using natural materials applies to natural-fiber-based
materials created by traditional compression processes.
Faurecia’s LignoLight material combines wood fibers
with oil-based binders. As with NAFILean and BioMat,
LignoLite contributes to lightweight rigid parts, but it uses
compression instead of injection to create the component.
Because LignoLite is composed of up to 85 percent wood
fiber, it is ecologically balanced.
The value of this process can be seen in the new
Mercedes-Benz S-Class door panels, made from
Faurecia LignoLite. LignoLite can save as much as
45 percent of the door panel carrier weight compared
with traditionally injected carriers. The reduced weight
also leads to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Other vehicles on the market have also benefited
substantially from a Faurecia technology, called natural
fiber polypropylene (NFPP). The smart (Daimler) citycar,
for instance, is built with an instrument panel top cover
and knee pad made of 50 percent polypropylene and 50
percent flax fibers, whereas the VW Golf door panels
include inserts made of similar materials, where
other natural fibers are used in LignoLite instead
of wood fibers.
NFPP compression technology supplies the additional
benefit of reduced cycle times by allowing for a one-step
compression and covering process, such as the process
applied to create the Volkswagen Golf door panel.
Harvesting the benefits of natural materials from
multiple approaches, Faurecia is dedicated to its green
and light goal, making sustainable materials easier
and more competitive for the automotive market.
16
Exhaust Heat Recovery: More Efficient Heating for Hybrids
Faurecia develops technologies for the recovery of
wasted thermal energy available in the exhaust system.
The recovered energy can be used either to warm the
passenger compartment or to speed-up engine warm-up.
Faurecia was one of the first suppliers to introduce
an Exhaust Heat Recovery System (EHRS), which was
available on the Citroen C4 Picasso in 2006. In 2012,
the Exhaust Heat Recovery Manifold (EHRM), was
introduced on the hybrid version of the Ford C-Max
and Fusion.
In hybrid vehicles, the use of exhaust energy recovery
is particularly interesting. One of the potential drawbacks
of hybrid gas/electric is the fuel consumption related
to ensuring passenger thermal comfort during electrical
driving phases. Mileage loss is especially notable during
winter city driving, when the vehicle would normally be
operating with only its electric drivetrain. By providing
additional heat to the vehicle thermal system, an exhaust
heat recovery system enables increased time spent in
electrical modes which corresponds to improved mileage
of up to 8% on the FTP cold cycle.
The Faurecia compact EHRS is fully validated and ready
for the market in both North America and Europe.
With the EHRM, Faurecia has advanced the science
of heat recovery by using an ingenious new approach.
The EHRM integrates the heat recovery function into
the exhaust manifold. As a result, the heat recovery
occurs directly at the engine, rather than down the line
in the exhaust system, so it is able to collect a greater
proportion of the exhaust heat earlier in the operating
cycle than other systems.
The EHRM is the best in its class in terms of weight and
packaging design, as a result of its simplicity and the
elimination of such subcomponents as heat exchanger,
valve and bypass element.
On non-hybrid vehicles, the recovered heat can also be
used to warm up the transmission and/or engine oil,
helping reduce friction and accelerating the powertrain
warm-up with a positive impact on fuel consumption
(up to 2-3 percent, depending on the configuration).
The new compact version of the EHRS has a package
space of 6 x 6 x 6 inches (including bypass valve) and
weighs only 4.5 pounds, about 60 percent less than the
previous generation of devices. It can be adapted with
slight modifications to meet the specific packaging
and performance requirements of each automaker.
The compact EHRS system has been designed to
minimize back-pressure, providing minimal impact
on the exhaust system performance.
17
Frames for Global Platforms: Seats that Recognize the Driver
For manufacturers to meet the expectations of today’s
auto buyer, they need to apply both flexibility and
customization to their products and processes.
Manufacturers must make the most of standard
designs and products while capitalizing on the ability
to customize those offerings. Faurecia helps meet
these goals with seat frames built on a global and
modular standard platform so that automakers can
use the same components across their entire vehicle
platform—often a dozen or more models—all around
the globe. Faurecia frames are designed with the
expectation that manufacturers will add high value
and premium functionalities to them, so they are
created as a totally optimized product in terms of
safety, weight and standardized components, ready
to support the latest electronic, mechanical and
pneumatic systems. These frames are ready to
support highly valued comfort features for complete
seat frame personalization and customization.
A Master of Seating Electronics
Faurecia has also enlarged its role in helping
automakers meet their growing requirements
for electronics integration into automotive seating.
Faurecia Automotive Seating has developed its own
electronics laboratory, based in France, that supports
the advancement of the entire value-chain of onboard
electronics for automotive seating, from design to
production-ready prototypes.
Anthropometric adjustment
A car may look beautiful, but comfort is in the
proportions of the beholder. Everyone’s body
dimensions are different, so Faurecia seats
automatically detect the most comfortable
positioning based on the individual attributes
of the occupant’s size and shape. The occupant’s
image is captured with a smartphone, a sensor
or a camera, and the occupant also has the option
to fine-tune the settings manually using controls
on the seat base or via the vehicle’s HMI.
Based on this technology, Faurecia has developed
a family of concepts for automated seat positioning
that command the seat to adjust to the occupant
instead of the occupant adjusting the seat. This
Anthropometric Adjustment (SmartFit™) capability
can incorporate such features as side lumbar
supports that adjust to the driver’s morphology
while rounding curves in the road or that tailor
back posture by automatically adjusting back
lumbar supports.
The system can create individual seat-positioning
profiles for each occupant and store them in
seat memory.
The electronics lab develops and validates
electronic modules and components, testing
them for electromagnetic compatibility and
environmental impacts (thermal, vibration,
protection against water and dust) and conducting
inspection and analysis. The production of electronic
boards is subcontracted to leading-edge industrial
partners selected for their quality, international
footprint and automated production processes.
Faurecia’s extended focus on electronics is part
of its commitment to integrate all advanced
adjustment and comfort features available for
vehicle seats. With its in-depth knowledge
of the world’s automotive markets and their
specific requirements, Faurecia is the natural
partner of choice for automakers in relation
to on-board electronics for seating.
18
Lumbar support technology
A comprehensive form of pneumatic lumbar support is
a key element of Faurecia’s automated seat adjustment
technology. The automated pneumatic settings also
can be tweaked by drivers for more or less inflation and
higher or lower positioning. Faurecia pneumatic seat
systems offer a wide variety of comfort functions, such
as massage, shoulder, lumbar, lateral and thigh support.
Initially available on high-end premium vehicles. These
systems are likely to be available on mainstream vehicles
in the near future.
GPS-directed comfort
Another automated adjustment feature of Faurecia
seats is GPS-directed comfort. While traveling, drivers
experience changes in the contours of a comfortable
position as road and traffic conditions vary. Faurecia
technology anticipates curves, hills and other road
conditions ahead and, by integrating the vehicle GPS
with the seat’s electro-mechanics, it adjusts the seat
to prepare for the change.
For example, when a car rounds a curve, centrifugal
force tends to press the driver against the door.
Faurecia technology recognizes that the vehicle is
approaching the curve and inflates a pneumatic bolster
to help center the driver in the seat. The GPS also may
discover slowed or stopped traffic ahead and adjust
the seat for the best position during a rapid drop
in vehicle speed.
All of these capabilities are part of Faurecia’s
all-embracing vision for optimizing comfort, weight
and safety that incorporates tracks, recliners,
electromechanical pumps, high-strength steel
frame, electronic control units, motors,
mechatronics, pneumatics and unprecedented
luxury features.
19
Seat Frames: Green, Light and Strong
Every vehicle seat begins with its frame, and therefore
the development of a lighter-weight seat should begin
with its frame as well. The puzzle that must be solved,
however, is how to remove weight from seat frames
so that they help improve fuel efficiency and reduce
emissions, yet keep them strong, safe and durable.
Faurecia Automotive Seating has answered this riddle
with lighter-weight, standardized seat frames for global
vehicle platforms that furnish substantial weight savings
while guaranteeing the highest safety standards.
At every juncture of its seat frames and mechanisms,
Faurecia is instilling lighter-weight alternative
technology. For example, a new generation of seat
recliners is more compact, with its weight reduced
by 35 percent compared to the previous generation,
while offering a high dynamic-breaking torque.
The same approach applies to other frame components.
Until recently, for instance, seat height adjustment had
been a manual function, but an increasing proportion
of vehicles today have powered adjustments. For this
purpose, Faurecia has developed the E-Pump, a
powered seat pump for seat height adjustment that
includes mechatronics for the best postural adjustment
in a lighter and more compact part. The E-Pump height
adjuster features a 25 percent weight reduction compared
to traditional linear actuators.
The same weight reduction attention applies to Faurecia
seat tracks, which now allow savings up to 1kg (2.2 lbs.)
per vehicle versus the previous generation. Faurecia
Ultima seat tracks represent a new generation of
high-performance seat tracks, specially designed for
high-end and premium vehicles. They are produced in
manual and low-noise powered versions for threeand five-door vehicles. Ultima’s high-strength steel
construction, proprietary to Faurecia, reduces mass
without sacrificing performance and enhances energy
dissipation during a crash by 20 percent or more,
compared with similar products. Overall, the Ultima
tracks provide best-in-class safety, light weight and
high perceived quality.
Faurecia is applying new types of steel to other
aspects of seat frames, as well. As an example,
Faurecia designers have deployed high-tensile steel
in development of complete seats for the Volkswagen
up! This steel provides the same stability and safety as
more traditional steel but weighs much less. Of special
significance to lightweighting is the use of laser welding,
and such design features as built-in headrests also
contribute to weight reduction. As a result of these and
other measures, the metal structure of the Volkswagen
up! is 20 percent lighter than that previously used in city
cars. Moreover, the whole seat frame system is optimized
to meet and even surpass the most stringent safety
performances expected by car makers.
A final benefit of Faurecia standardized seat frames
is that they are designed to accept and integrate
very easily into Faurecia’s full range of innovative,
high-perceived-value features, so automakers gain
flexibility in their applications of a standard frame
design along with lighter weight, without reducing
the frame’s performance.
20
Ammonia Storage and Delivery System (ASDS™) : A New Approach to SCR
In its constant pursuit of advanced methods for reducing
emissions, Faurecia offers a breakthrough technology
designed for diesel engines. The Faurecia Ammonia
Storage and Delivery System (ASDS™) provides
automakers with a new approach to meeting international
emissions standards for nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.
Faurecia anticipates that its ASDS™ technology will
become the new world standard for NOx reduction, just
as the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) has become the
world standard for particulate filtration. Confidence in
the future of ASDS™ is founded on five Faurecia key
advantages over liquid-urea (DEF or AdBlue®):
The Faurecia ASDS™ is a pure ammonia selective
catalyst reduction (SCR) system – an alternative to
liquid urea (DEF) SCR systems – that delivers very
precise amounts of gaseous ammonia to an SCR
catalyst in the exhaust system. This process is a highly
efficient way to remove NOx from diesel engine exhaust
gases for both passenger cars and commercial vehicles.
• Faster activation of NOx conversion under
cold start conditions, enabling reduced fuel
consumption strategies
• Lower total dosing system mass at same
refilling interval
• Twice the ammonia stored per liter
• No formation of deposits even at low temperatures
• No doser sensitivity at high temperatures, therefore
ideally suited for close-coupled applications.
Automakers in Europe, seeking to meet evolving NOx
standards there, are especially interested in the ASDS™.
The cold-start performance benefits of ASDS™ make it
a natural choice for meeting tougher future emissions
legislation in the US (LEV III/TIER 3). Faurecia expects
the global industry to rapidly embrace this technology.
21
SCR Blue Box™: Faster NOx Reduction for Diesels
Diesel engines are becoming a more popular option
for reducing fleet fuel economy, making the reduction
of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions a critical goal as
emissions regulations become tighter across the globe.
To help meet these increasingly more demanding
standards, Faurecia offers the new Selective
Catalyst Reduction (SCR) BlueBox™ compact mixer
technology. SCR technology uses ammonia (decomposed
urea) to convert NOx to nitrogen and water. Faurecia’s
SCR BlueBox™ is a compact and efficient mixing
technology which achieves the urea decomposition
in a much smaller space. Reducing the space required
for mixing enables the use of a close-coupled SCR
architecture. The major benefit of this arrangement is
early SCR lightoff on the FTP cold cycle, along with an
increase in available package space under the vehicle.
The SCR BlueBox™ concept is compatible with the new
generation of SCR coated particulate filter substrates
(SCRF or SDPF). It allows automakers to go back to
a two-way emission compliance strategy instead of the
current three-way technology (Diesel Oxidation Catalyst –
Diesel Particulate Filter - SCR). It also means further
cost reduction and additional weight savings (between
6 ½ and 9 lbs.), resulting in significant CO2 reduction.
22
Life on Board
Today’s cars and trucks have become as much living
rooms and personal spaces as they are transportation.
Life on board the next generation of vehicles will have
the touch-free connectivity of a personal office or
entertainment center—and the electronics to take
full advantage of it. Exterior and interior décor will
become expansive expressions of personal style,
rather than merely the translation of a designer’s
preferences. We will expect to be surrounded by
as much comfort and convenience for drivers and
passengers as we have in our easy chairs at home.
As revealed at the North American International
Auto Show, Faurecia has built an integrated array
of innovations that transform this vision into a wireless,
sculpted, composite reality for the emerging generation
of vehicles across the globe.
23
3
Sculpted Seat Covers: The Cover Shapes the Seat
A new technology from Faurecia Automotive Seating flips
the way that designers look at seating surfaces. With Faurecia sculpted covers, instead of the seat determining the
shape of its cover, the cover now can determine the shape
of the seat.
In conventional seats, the shape of the cover is attained
by attaching a loose cover at several points to a foam pad.
Faurecia sculpted covers, however, embed 3D shapes and
all marking lines on the trim cover itself.
Proprietary cover carving technology from Faurecia
makes it possible for designers to discard their
preconceptions of the way that lines and patterns must
be incorporated into automotive trimming processes.
When sculpted covers are created, the cover face is
shaped on a mold and the fabric is held in 3D by a foam
layer, creating unconventional surfaces and smooth
surface transitions. Additionally, marking lines are
completely independent from tie downs and may have
a progressive depth and very small radius. Sculpted
seats become even more distinctive when 3D embossing
is employed. Cover carving allows 3D surface effects
to be created and positioned precisely on the surface
of the cover.
Although it produces covers that could be mistaken for
the handiwork of artisans, sculpting technology has the
advantage of being extremely repeatable while providing
unmatched craftsmanship that would be impossible to
achieve with traditional trimming techniques.
The sculpted technique allows automakers to offer covers
in many varieties, all of which use the same foam pad,
because the styling is in the cover, rather than in the pad.
Manufacturers can assume a whole new perspective on
personalizing seats with the capabilities of sculpted
covers from Faurecia.
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Sculpted Light Seatback Panel
Automakers often overlook the back of a front seat.
Faurecia introduces a brand new solution with the
Sculpted Light Panel, a high-perceived-quality
lightweight back panel using Faurecia’s
cover-carving technology, a unique technology
which gives life to the back of front seats.
Sharp marking lines, graphical elements and deep
3D shapes enable the designing of a back panel with
as much attractiveness as a front seat surface. Using
the same material as the front side of the seat creates
a very homogeneous style to the overall seat. The curved
shape of the Sculpted Light Panel and its attachment to
the trim cover offers a very slim seat design, allowing
increased knee room for rear passengers.
Sculpted Light Panels are fixed to the trim cover
and not to the metal frame; the fit and finish and
the quality of the integration into the complete seat
is far better, thus avoiding gaps and styling limitations.
Since the technology uses compression molds, the
tooling cost in comparison to plastic wrapped back
panels is only one tenth as much.
In another departure from conventional vehicle design,
Faurecia has transformed the relationship between
seats and seating covers. Rather than the cover
taking the shape of the seat, the seat accommodates
creative covers, with embedded 3D effects and
customized markings.
25
9
Premium Decoration and Surfaces: New Expanses of Wood and Aluminum
First impressions are lasting ones, and inside a vehicle,
nothing impresses like aluminum and wood decoration
and surfaces. Faurecia Interior Systems accesses a wide
range of lightweight and sustainable technologies for
wood and aluminum in applying design, materials and
colors that make impressive interiors.
Faurecia is technologically configured to offer
exceptional flexibility in premium decoration and
surfaces. For example, Faurecia’s “one-tool-x-surfaces”
system enables it to produce a variety of wood and
aluminum finishes using a single tool. Production
therefore can respond flexibly to individual orders from
consumers, and processes can be made more efficient.
The Audi A6 capitalizes on these capabilities, with
Faurecia providing components in a choice of finishes.
Interior decoration elements for the instrument panel,
the front and rear door panels and the center console
are available in two gloss-aluminum finishes and
one matte-brushed-aluminum finish. These
supplement the standard trim specification in
micro-metallic aluminum.
Faurecia’s proficiency with trim surfaces means that
designers can incorporate more generously dimensioned
trim surfaces in premium-segment and other vehicles.
The instrument panel of the Mercedes-Benz GLK, for
example, is fashioned with cut-outs for the air vents,
steering lock and navigation system, helping this
component to merge effortlessly into the SUV’s
stylish interior.
The demand for aluminum is paralleled by the high
demand for wood as a trim material, but it is often
difficult to work with wood in its rigid state. Ligneos
from Faurecia Interior Systems, however, enables the
processing of large sheets of wood in three dimensions
to make them lighter and more flexible. Because Ligneos
is flexible and adjusts to the shape of the components to
which it is applied, it is also perfect for large components
like instrument panels, door panels and seat backs.
Ligneos transmits to wooden panels a distinctive
appearance and a very special feel.
Ligneos is a key technology and a significant
advancement in Faurecia’s commitment to
environmentally friendly solutions and to
improving the occupant’s perception of vehicle
interior quality. Faurecia now offers more than
40 different woods in matte, gloss and textured
finishes for use in vehicle interiors.
26
3
25
Mercedes-Benz M/GL-Class AMG: Complete Seats for Complete Comfort on Board
The finely crafted Mercedes-Benz M-Class and GL-Class
luxury SUVs deserve nothing less than a leading-edge
seating system, and they receive exactly that from
Faurecia Automotive Seating, which is proud to
supply the complete seats and instrument panel
for both vehicles.
occupant seats independently. Driver and
passenger direct all the comfort and massage settings
in their seats from the Mercedes-Benz COMAND
system and its central color display, which displays
a photorealistic image of the seat and lets the
occupant choose their desired settings.
The heated, 8-way power front seats are designed for
superior comfort and feature Faurecia’s pneumatic seat
comfort systems (described below). The multi-contour
seats, incorporating 4-way pneumatic lumbar support
for the driver and 3-position memory, offer exceptional
support, with precisely tuned adjustments, including
shoulder and thigh support, as well as side bolsters.
The driver even can take pleasure in a gentle or
invigorating lower back massage to remain alert
and comfortable however long the journey.
Advancing beyond adjustment options available in most other vehicles, the Faurecia seat provides
adjustments for lumbar support, seat backrest
width and seat cushion length. The lumbar support
consists of two air chambers that can be controlled
separately or jointly to offer the optimum lumbar
support for both front occupants. Adjustment of the
seat backrest width also entails two air chambers
(left/right), inserted into the backrest seat bolsters,
enabling occupants to adjust the seat width manually
to match their desired comfort settings.
Three air chambers inflate or deflate simultaneously to
adjust seat cushion length and provide the best leg and
knee support. The seat cushion length can be extended in
10 positions, up to 120mm (4.7 in.). To ensure consistently
outstanding performance of these functions, Faurecia
applies its deep in-house expertise to all the electronics
and components and their integration.
The Faurecia seat accommodates extensive travel
adjustment so that drivers of any size will easily
discover their ideal seating position. The second-row
seats can be adjusted in a variety of ways with their
reclining backrests, three adjustable headrests and
a folding center armrest. The outboard seats in this
row can even be heated, and their easy-entry function
on both sides enables convenient access to the third row.
Faurecia hand fits the vehicles’ supple, richly grained,
double-stitched leather to all the seating surfaces, even
the head restraints. These precisely fashioned leather
seats are available in almond beige, gray and black.
When comfort massage is selected, seven separate
microcomputer-managed massage air chambers in
the seat backrest inflate and deflate according to a
pre-defined program to stimulate muscles from the
lumbar area to the shoulder, improve circulation and
help prevent early fatigue. The massage program runs
for five minutes and can be restarted at any point after
the cycle has been completed. Moreover, the speed and
intensity of back massage can be individually adjusted.
Passengers have a choice of numerous settings,
ranging from “slow and gentle” to “fast and intense.”
Comfortable and accommodating seats from Faurecia
help make the time spent behind the wheel almost as
enjoyable as the travel destination itself.
Pneumatic seat comfort system
Pneumatic controls in the optional multi-contour
seat for the Mercedes-Benz M & GL-Class allow
for both seat adjustment and comfort massage.
An electric air pump and air tank situated in the
cargo area serve control units in the front
27
Seating Trim: Better Than It Has Ever Seamed
The Faurecia Trim Wall shows why seams and
decorations have never been so stylish for automotive
seating. Toppling the design boundaries for seats
and bursting through the traditional limits on style
options, Trim Wall displays new kinds of stitching
for seams that need not be restricted by conventional
technical concerns.
Trim Wall exhibits a range of decorative solutions—
such as special seams and hot-foil applications—
that bring new added value to seating trim. With these
varieties, designers can offer thousands of options
for textiles and leather, helping automakers meet
the demand for a wide range of trim choices. The seat
cover is a stand-out product that is a critical part
of a vehicle’s brand image. With more variety, the
brand can incorporate more styling selections.
Much more than merely a product catalogue, Trim
Wall offers a palpable product to generate dialogue
with designers. Products are presented on real foam
fill, allowing designers to see, touch and test the
various customization possibilities in context, which
can be adapted to any vehicle segment. Trim Wall
makes clear that mass customization is a challenge
that can be met from many directions, with material
and decoration options that make personalizing
more practical.
28
Bumpers: Sporty Contributions to Exceptional Cars
BMW 3-Series GT
Faurecia Automotive Exteriors helps instill the sporty
personality of the BMW 3-Series GT with bumpers and
rocker panels. They are available in five finishes: Base,
Modern, Luxury, Sport and the optional M sport package.
Faurecia produces, paints, assembles and delivers
complete bumpers, which offer improved aerodynamics
with a front fascia that accentuates the car’s sporty looks
and matches the contoured headlights, more prominent
than those on the sedan.
The optional M Sport package invigorates the new BMW
3-Series Gran Turismo with energy that spreads beyond
its exterior and interior design. The exclusive optional
exterior paint shade Estoril Blue metallic (on display
at the Faurecia booth) ensures an unmistakably stylish
appearance and unbeatable road presence.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Faurecia produces all the variants of front and rear
bumpers for the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, along with
the rocker panels. Most distinctive is Faurecia’s classic
contributions to the AMG version, on display at the
Faurecia booth. The front apron brandishes a grille
painted in high-gloss black with the hallmark AMG
stylized “A” that emphasizes the exclusivity and power
of the S 63 AMG. The three-dimensional front splitter
in silver chrome reduces lift, and flics in high-gloss
black on the side air intakes optimize the flow of air
to the cooling modules – a design that is a familiar
and distinguishing sight in motorsport.
29
WiCharge: Highly Flexible Wireless Charging Technology
A paradox in this age of wireless devices is that
smartphones and media players tend to wrap their
owners up in charging cables and plug-in adaptors.
Faurecia, working in partnership with Philips and
Lite-On Digital Solutions (PLDS), has eliminated this
inconvenience for vehicle occupants with a highly
flexible approach to in-vehicle wireless charging
through its WiCharge technology.
Compatible with all segments, WiCharge employs
inductive multi-coil technology. It also features
a stay-in-place functionality during strong deceleration
or crash conditions and produces no interference
whatsoever with car electronics. Since this concept
is modular, it accepts add-ons, such as additional
USB charging, power management and various
interfaces.
Fully integrated into the vehicle cabin, WiCharge
is the answer to “Always Charged” for enhanced
smartphone services, including phone, music,
navigation, and Internet access. This process,
whereby electrical energy is transmitted from
a power source to an electrical load without
interconnecting wires, can be situated on the
instrument panel or in the center console or glove
box. On A- and B-segment cars, WiCharge is placed
in a docking station that keeps the smartphone in
place, whatever the road conditions. On C-, D- and
E-segments, WiCharge can be placed in either
a hidden or open area for a high-quality
appearance and efficient use.
WiCharge is based on the Qi standard, defined by
a consortium that includes various mobile phone
suppliers. Currently, two different wireless charging
protocols coexist: Qi and Powermat. To meet the needs
of each market and specifically North American vehicle
owners, Faurecia and its partner are now working on the
conception and design of a dual system with multi-coil
array which charges both protocols.
30
Contacts
U.S./Canada
Stacie Tong
Faurecia North America
Director, Communications
+1 248 484 3185
stacie.tong@faurecia.com
Jenn Korail
Airfoil Group
+1 586 202 4392
korail@airfoilgroup.com
Mexico
Iván Moreno
Alterpraxis
+52 (55) 5985 7820 ext. 23
ivan.moreno@alterpraxis.com.mx
International
Olivier Le Friec
Faurecia Group Communications
Manager, Media Relations
+33 1 72 36 72 58
olivier.lefriec@faurecia.com
na.faurecia.com
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