Autonomous Vehicle Engineering - January 2022 - 10

Cover Story
Certain AV functionalities could be enhanced by Mitsubishi Electric's adaptable central touchscreen that is motorized to shift between
landscape and portrait orientation.
added a warm and calming ambiance. We imagined as
autonomous driving becomes available, this cabin experience
will be even more appreciated. It was our intention
to create an interior space where the back seat is a
first-class experience, providing an environment with
room to stretch, relax, work, and enjoy the journey. "
" There's a massive push globally for increased
Cabin-cleansing technology is already
an important feature for not
only publicly-shared AVs but also
privately-owned vehicles.
Lucid Motors' Magnusson is certain the consumer
mindset is altered and sustainability will be a part of
the typical AV's bill of materials. Luxury, she said, is
" no longer about the opulence of things but of experiences. "
Lucid customers seek out products that are
not harming the earth, are healthier for their families,
as well as being the best technology, she said.
Lucid's vision goes further, extending even to color
schemes that translate to a potential gain for future
automated driving. " Our interior design team wanted
to create the front cabin with the driving experience as
a priority, an active place, while the rear cabin was more
relaxing, tailored to enjoying the journey, " Magnusson
explained. " Creating the darker front [seat] space for a
sporty performance look and the back with a color that
sustainability in automotive materials - reducing
solid waste, and ASR [automotive shredder residue], "
said Yangfeng's Stout. " Sustainable materials are
driving changes in behavior at YF, where we actually
assess the sustainability of any new material and
indeed any innovation we do - not just at the 'belly'
level but having criteria to judge whether it's better
or worse from a sustainability standpoint. That said,
Europe is a little further along than the U.S. is on this. "
IAC's Pascoe agrees. " There seems to be a really
intensifying pressure around using natural materials
and recycled materials. " He added that, happily, these
alternatives often are lighter-weight, which offers a
secondary advantage of reducing overall vehicle
weight, which is particularly critical for EVs.
Although there is debate about the cost of
sustainable materials - some sources say leather
alternatives, for one, can be significantly less expensive
- cost reductions to offset AV technology may
come in other facets of AV cabin designs. Elimination
of physical buttons in favor of capacitive or resistive
pressure-sensing switches can cut cost and also reduce
cabin clutter. Lighter materials can translate to reduction
in the required battery capacity to achieve a given
driving-range target - a crucial selling point for both
AV fleet operators and consumers. ■
10 January 2022
AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE ENGINEERING
Yangfeng
Mitsubishi Electric

Autonomous Vehicle Engineering - January 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Autonomous Vehicle Engineering - January 2022