2014 NAIAS Press Kit
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. 24 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 [email protected] Jenn Korail Airfoil Group +1 586 202 4392 [email protected] Mexico Iván Moreno Alterpraxis +52 (55) 5985 7820 ext. 23 [email protected] International Olivier Le Friec Faurecia Group Communications Manager, Media Relations +33 1 72 36 72 58 [email protected] na.faurecia.com Search FaureciaNA. www.faurecia.com
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