Automotive Engineering - May 2024 - 17

ROAD
READY
2024 Lincoln Nautilus: The brand's first global SUV
While there is a tendency for new vehicles
to have a focus on ride, handling,
performance and other dynamic
elements, the model year 2024 Lincoln
Nautilus team added another element
to how the driver will experience the
midsize SUV. Not that the ride, handling,
etc. were ignored, but the global
design and engineering team wanted
to do something different with this
two-row SUV.
Recognize that this is a vehicle with
a sumptuous interior that includes not
only first-class seating (24-way adjustable
front seats) and materials (Alpine
Venetian leather available on the seats;
cashmere for the headliner) but also
an available high-end Revel Ultima 3D
audio system with 28 speakers. What's
more, there's " Lincoln Digital Scent, "
small electronically activated pods
containing various aromas (e.g., Mystic
Forest, Ozonic Azure, Violet
Cashmere). Across the top of the instrument
panel there is a 48-inch
backlit LCD screen and a 11.1-inch
The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus has seating for five and as much as 71.3 cu. ft. of cargo volume and 113.5
cu. ft. of passenger volume.
touchscreen in the center stack.
All of this can be used or experienced
while driving.
When in park
But Dante Crockett, features engineer
for the Nautilus and an electrical engineer
by training, said Lincoln decided to
integrate many of these functions so the
driver, when the vehicle is parked and
the engine running, can, through the
touchscreen, select an experience that
will help relax then rejuvenate the driver.
That is, the screens show an image like
the Aurora Borealis, the audio system
plays specifically produced music, the
scent is delivered through the arm rest,
and the driver seat automatically reclines
and initiates a massaging feature.
Then, so as not to have to go in the
house or office pleasantly groggy, the
system goes into a mode where the seat
back is powered to a less reclined position
and the audio is louder. The driver
can select a five- or 10-minute session.
Crockett says the functionality, named
" Lincoln Rejuvenate, " will be an over-theair
update for MY 2024 vehicles and be
integrated into MY 2025 vehicles.
Asked what the thinking behind this
was, Crockett simply said, " Driveway
moments. " He said after a long day, the
vehicle can serve as an environment to
provide a bit of relaxation before
going on to the next thing. It isn't just
about going from A to B, but about
feeling better when you get there.
The 48-inch (1,219-mm) backlit LCD screen is positioned, compared to screens in many vehicles with
expansive digital landscapes, back and high. The result is that information about speed and navigation
are readily seen with a slight downward look. Other information such as the audio, weather and time
can be seen with a glance to the right. While it may appear odd at first, when used during driving it is a
highly ergonomic solution.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
Screen scene
The location of the previously mentioned
48-inch screen is different than
the positioning in most vehicles, well
forward from where gauge clusters
typically are placed. Allen Sun, Nautilus
product manager who worked on the
May 2024 17
BOTH IMAGES: LINCOLN

Automotive Engineering - May 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Automotive Engineering - May 2024