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Market status: vehicle models with smart surfaces boom in 2023.
From 2018 to 2023, there were an increasing number of models equipped with smart surfaces, up to 52,000 units in 2022 and 256,000 units from January to September 2023, and main models were Haval H6, Deepal SL03, and Neta S. Among them, Deepal SL03 uses smart surfaces in ambient lighting with translucent leather; Neta S packs multifunctional steering wheel where "scroll wheel + virtual buttons" is used to complete relevant operations.
Smart surfaces can be installed on center console, ambient lighting, steering wheel, doors, seats and other parts of a vehicle. From January to September 2023, body parts equipped with smart surfaces were mainly center console, steering wheel and ambient lighting.
Suppliers: Chinese suppliers start late, but have market and cost advantages
On the whole, there is a large technical gap between Chinese smart surface suppliers and their foreign peers. Yet the Chinese market has a low-cost ecological industry chain, helping domestic suppliers to adopt more flexible market schemes.
Foreign suppliers (leading Tier1s, e.g., Continental and Antolin) can directly meet the requirements of OEMs (e.g., BMW), and use their R&D strength to help OEMs with requirement verification.
Chinese smart surface suppliers develop slowly. From 2022 to 2023, more listed companies joined the smart surface industry chain.
As smart surface technology advances in China, Chinese suppliers need to combine software and systems to overall deploy smart surfaces, and rid themselves of a business service model of simply processing or providing hardware.
In July 2023, Marelli introduced the new Miragic, a display for cars that disappears when not in use. Featuring Marelli's innovative Shy-Tech solution, this disappearing display seamlessly integrates in OEMs' cockpit style, blending discreetly with various materials and surfaces. It provides equal or better visibility than conventional displays, enhancing safety by limiting distractions for the driver.
Moreover, Marelli Miragic simplifies parts integration and assembly operations, greatly reducing weight of related body components.
Ningbo Huaxiang Electronic develops new smart surface materials and technologies using multimodal interaction technology, fusing perception data in "vision", "voice" and other modes, and combining them with automotive electronics and optoelectronics technologies. Huaxiang Electronic plans iteration of next-generation smart surface technology based on multimodal interaction, with the ultimate goal of evolving it into an intelligent vehicle assistant.
As of June 2023, Ningbo Huaxiang Electronic's smart surface products are still under development and have yet to be designated. In the first phase of R&D, its smart surface integrates such functions as smart touch, vibration feedback, and pressure sensing for preventing touch by mistake. Ningbo Huaxiang Electronic can design and customize surface materials as required, and enables personalized HMI hardware and software functions by integrating logo and ambient lights among others, and combining hidden touch buttons and translucent surfaces on trim strips, door panels and instrument panel.
OEM: conventional OEMs are more willing to use smart surfaces.
From 2020 to 2023, conventional OEMs showed higher willingness to develop and accept smart surfaces and launched more vehicle models.
Geely ZEEKR X's steering wheel adopts a "touch buttons + physical buttons" joint operation mode where a touch panel installed under the steering wheel is used to control trunk, front glass heating and other functions.
Launched in April 2023 and scheduled to go on sale in November, Hongqi E001 is equipped with smart surface functions:
Each touch function icon can be illuminated by touch to adjust functions of music, fragrance and air conditioning;
Smart surface operation buttons work on the capacitance principle. Inductive touch switch can penetrate insulating material shells to detect effective touch of fingers, with high sensitivity;
The pressure sensing and vibration feedback functions allow users to sense without observing, which improves driving safety.