LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY: Mobility is a basic human need and a key to the sustainability of our society and economy. The demands imposed on the individuality, safety, environmental compatibility and efficiency of motor vehicles are very high. To meet them, Covestro is developing innovative and sustainable material solutions that push previous technical boundaries. The company is presenting a new concept in electric car design.
“Based on pioneering plastics technologies, the concept incorporates current trends in the automotive design. It enables us to give vehicle designers new possibilities for designing comfortable, functional and energy-efficient cars,” said Jochen Hardt, project manager.
Partners for the development of the concept were automotive supplier HELLA and the distinguished Umea Institute of Design in Sweden.
The concept car is the first vehicle with wrap-around glazing made of transparent polycarbonate. The glazing is lightweight and aerodynamic, two features that reduce energy consumption. The designers also applied entirely new styling options that would not have been feasible in a glass.
One example is the seamless design that integrates the transparent A-pillars. Wrap-around glazing rewards passengers with a panorama view and enhances pedestrian safety because it almost entirely eliminates blind spots. The glazing meets all the requirements of the new UN Regulation R43.
New lighting concept revolutionises design and safety
Covestro and HELLA have redefined automotive lighting. Illuminated surfaces with integrated LED spots to make light an adaptive design element that lends a car personality. Automotive designers now have access to fascinating possibilities for styling the front- and back-ends, and enhancing safety, energy efficiency and functionality.
Holography will likely prove to be a top technology in future automotive lighting. HELLA and Covestro have developed an innovative solution based on holographic films from the Bayfol HX range. It enables various lighting functions to be integrated into body components, requiring little space and opening up entirely new possibilities for using light as a design element.
Holography will likely prove to be a top technology in future automotive lighting. HELLA and Covestro have developed an innovative solution based on holographic films from the Bayfol HX range. It enables various lighting functions to be integrated into body components, requiring little space and opening up entirely new possibilities for using light as a design element.
Greater safety for self-driving cars
The new car concept is also geared to future technologies, such as the autonomous car. New polycarbonate materials enable good transmission of LiDAR signals and the homogeneous integration of sensors, ie. the “eyes” of an autonomous vehicle, to enhance the safety of passengers and pedestrians.
Integrated displays in body parts also serve this goal. In autonomous vehicles, they support direct communication from car to car or car to pedestrian, eg via visual signals indicating that the car will stop in front of a pedestrian crossing.
Another one of Covestro’s highlights is various film solutions for interior automotive display applications. The focus is on displays and operating panels that are protected by scratch-resistant, glare-free films. They support new lighting effects and the integration of functions into the instrument panel.
© Chemical Today News
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