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.
Analysis on Xpeng’s Layout in Electrification, Connectivity, Intelligence and Sharing, 2023
Research on Xpeng’s layout in electrification, connectivity, intelligence and sharing: in the innovation-driven rapid development, secured orders for 100 flying cars.
NIO, Xp...
Automotive Cockpit SoC Research Report, 2024
Automotive Cockpit SoC Research: Automakers quicken their pace of buying SoCs, and the penetration of domestic cockpit SoCs will soar
Mass production of local cockpit SoCs is accelerating, and the l...
Automotive Integrated Die Casting Industry Report, 2024
Integrated Die Casting Research: adopted by nearly 20 OEMs, integrated die casting gains popularity.
Automotive Integrated Die Casting Industry Report, 2024 released by ResearchInChina summari...
China Passenger Car Cockpit Multi/Dual Display Research Report, 2023-2024
In intelligent cockpit era, cockpit displays head in the direction of more screens, larger size, better looking, more convenient interaction and better experience. Simultaneously, the conventional “on...
Automotive Microcontroller Unit (MCU) Industry Report, 2024
With policy support, the localization rate of automotive MCU will surge.
Chinese electric vehicle companies are quickening their pace of purchasing domestic chips to reduce their dependence on impor...
Automotive Digital Key Industry Trends Research Report, 2024
Automotive Digital Key Industry Trends Research Report, 2024 released by ResearchInChina highlights the following: Forecast for automotive digital key market;Digital key standard specifications and co...
Automotive XR (VR/AR/MR) Industry Report, 2024
Automotive XR (Extended Reality) is an innovative technology that integrates VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality) and MR (Mixed Reality) technologies into vehicle systems. It can bring drivers...
OEMs’ Next-generation In-vehicle Infotainment (IVI) System Trends Report, 2024
OEMs’ Next-generation In-vehicle Infotainment (IVI) System Trends Report, 2024 released by ResearchInChina systematically analyzes the iteration process of IVI systems of mainstream automakers in Chin...
Global and China Automotive Lighting System Research Report, 2023-2024
Installations of intelligent headlights and interior lighting systems made steady growth.
From 2019 to 2023, the installations of intelligent headlights and interior lighting systems grew steadily. I...
Automotive Display, Center Console and Cluster Industry Report, 2024
Automotive display has become a hotspot major automakers compete for to create personalized and differentiated vehicle models. To improve users' driving experience and meet their needs for human-compu...
Global and China Passenger Car T-Box Market Report, 2024
Global and China Passenger Car T-Box Market Report, 2024 combs and summarizes the overall global and Chinese passenger car T-Box markets and the status quo of independent, centralized, V2X, and 5G T-B...
AI Foundation Models’ Impacts on Vehicle Intelligent Design and Development Research Report, 2024
AI foundation models are booming. The launch of ChapGPT and SORA is shocking. Scientists and entrepreneurs at AI frontier point out that AI foundation models will rebuild all walks of life, especially...
Analysis on Geely's Layout in Electrification, Connectivity, Intelligence and Sharing
Geely, one of the leading automotive groups in China, makes comprehensive layout in electrification, connectivity, intelligence and sharing.
Geely boasts more than ten brands. In 2023, it sold a tota...
48V Low-voltage Power Distribution Network (PDN) Architecture Industry Report, 2024
Automotive low-voltage PDN architecture evolves from 12V to 48V system.
Since 1950, the automotive industry has introduced the 12V system to power lighting, entertainment, electronic control units an...
Automotive Ultrasonic Radar and OEMs’ Parking Route Research Report, 2024
1. Over 220 million ultrasonic radars will be installed in 2028.
In recent years, the installations of ultrasonic radars in passenger cars in China surged, up to 121.955 million units in 2023, jumpin...
Automotive AI Foundation Model Technology and Application Trends Report, 2023-2024
Since 2023 ever more vehicle models have begun to be connected with foundation models, and an increasing number of Tier1s have launched automotive foundation model solutions. Especially Tesla’s big pr...
Qualcomm 8295 Based Cockpit Domain Controller Dismantling Analysis Report
ResearchInChina dismantled 8295-based cockpit domain controller of an electric sedan launched in December 2023, and produced the report SA8295P Series Based Cockpit Domain Controller Analysis and Dism...
Global and China Automotive Comfort System (Seating system, Air Conditioning System) Research Report, 2024
Automotive comfort systems include seating system, air conditioning system, soundproof system and chassis suspension to improve comfort of drivers and passengers. This report highlights seating system...