BURSCHEID, Germany, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Scenario 2030: Urban compact vehicles are automatic, electric and adapt to their users  

New forms of mobility such as autonomous driving, car sharing and electromobility are dramatically changing how we get around. Adient, a world leading supplier of automotive seating, will showcase what this means for interiors, and especially the vehicle seating system, with its new AI18 demonstrator at this year's International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main.

     (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/534778/Adient_AI18.jpg )

With the focus on autonomous driving, alternative usage models such as car sharing and urban mobility, the Adient concept addresses three of the major trends which will drive the automotive industry of the future. Richard Chung, Vice President Innovation at Adient, explains: "The optimal vehicle architecture for future urban living spaces provides compact equipment solutions which can adapt to a wide range of users with differing requirements and preferences in almost every situation. This requirement will play a decisive role, especially for vehicle interiors and their seating systems."

Adient will use five scenarios to demonstrate in the AI18 just how flexible level-3 and level-4 autonomous vehicles could be in the future. "In addition to a Lounge mode, the AI18 seating system offers Communication, Cargo, Baby Plus and Family modes. These provide users with optimum seating arrangements and space according to the situation, as well as various usage options and technical aids that make travel as efficient, comfortable and safe as possible," says Chung.  

For example, in spite of the vehicle's compact size, Lounge mode offers the user a high degree of comfort and relaxation by means of the seating position and application features. The front seats play their part in this, with an anthropometric pivot at their core. This ensures the seat can be reclined far back and still provide support when beyond the traditional range. Further components such as the head restraint, integrated armrests and a separate leg rest are synchronized to move with the body. An optional massage function further boosts the comfort factor.

With new component geometries, alternative materials and composites, many of the some 20 innovations in the Adient AI18 demonstrator provide additional options for lightweight construction. "Slimmer, lighter seating systems not only play their part in reducing fuel consumption or increasing the range of electric vehicles," says Chung. "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."

Adient will present all of the AI18 demonstrator's usage scenarios as well as the underlying technical innovations to the public at the IAA during a press conference on Wednesday, September 13, from 10:30 to 10:55 a.m. (Stand B24, Hall 5.1).

About Adient: 

Adient is a global leader in automotive seating. With 75,000 employees operating 230 manufacturing/assembly plants in 33 countries worldwide, we produce and deliver automotive seating for all vehicle classes and all major OEMs. From complete seating systems to individual components, our expertise spans every step of the automotive seat making process. Our integrated, in-house skills allow us to take our products from research and design all the way to engineering and manufacturing - and into more than 25 million vehicles every year. For more information on Adient, please visit adient.com.

Media:
Claudia Steinhoff
+49-2174-65-4481
claudia.steinhoff@adient.com

SOURCE Adient Ltd. & Co. KG