Adient to Preview New Interiors for Autonomous Driving at Frankfurt Motor Show

The concept of mobility has changed drastically in the past few years with the advent of autonomous driving, shared vehicles and electromobility. Adient, one of the top suppliers of automotive seating will use the 2017 edition of the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main to showcase the AI18 demonstrator, its new interior concept for autonomous driving, which will address these three new trends, especially when it comes to the vehicle seating system.
Richard Chung, Vice President Innovation at Adient, explained that consumers will opt for optimal vehicle architecture which can be easily adapted to suit the requirements of a wide range of users who have different requirements and preferences in almost every situation. This need for adaptation will play a key role in the design of vehicle interiors and seating systems.

Adient plans to use five scenarios to demonstrate in the AI18 the degree to which level-3 and level-4 autonomous vehicles could be flexible in the future. Chung said that in addition to a Lounge mode, the AI18 seating system offers Communication, Cargo, Baby Plus and Family modes. Depending on the situation, these modes would provide users with optimum seating arrangements and space and provide them with various usage options and technical aids so that their journey is as comfortable, safe and efficient as possible.

One example is that even in the case of a compact vehicle, in the Lounge mode, passengers benefit from a high degree of comfort and relaxation. The front seats come with an anthropometric pivot and can provide much more support than conventional seats even when reclined far back. Other components that add to the comfort factor include integrated armrests, head restraint, and a separate leg rest which are synchronized to move with the body. There is even an optional massage function.

When it comes to the weight of the vehicle, there are as many as 20 innovations in the AI18 demonstrator in relation to new component geometries, alternative materials and composites to minimize the weight of the vehicle.

Chung said, “Slimmer, lighter seating systems not only play their part in reducing fuel consumption or increasing the range of electric vehicles. They also allow automakers to make best use of the vehicle’s compact dimensions and therefore also increase efficiency in automotive construction at many levels.”