Johnson Controls Interior Products Featured on General Motors' New Crossover Sport Vans
Company to Supply a Number of Major Systems for Buick, Chevrolet, Pontiac And Saturn Models
DETROIT, Jan. 6 -- Officials at automotive supplier Johnson Controls announced that the company has been selected by General Motors to supply a number of interior products for the automaker's 2005 crossover sport vans (CSV).
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Johnson Controls is a major supplier of automotive systems, components and batteries to General Motors throughout the world. Among the products that will be manufactured by Johnson Controls for the automaker's new CSV models are complete seating systems; overhead systems; sun visors; cargo management systems; and the company's Railport(TM) Vehicle Personalization Systems and AutoVision(R) DVD Family Grade Entertainment Systems in a rail module.
The systems will be shipped on a "just-in-time" basis from Johnson Controls plants in Suwanee and Norcross, Georgia; and Holland, Michigan to the automaker's vehicle-assembly facility in Doraville, Georgia.
"As General Motors rolls out its new crossover sport vans, we are pleased to provide support and outstanding interior products that will make these models successful in the marketplace," said Jeff Edwards, group vice president and general manager, North America/Japan for the Automotive Group of Johnson Controls. "We believe that Johnson Controls products contribute to the comfort, utility and entertainment value offered inside these models."
General Motors will begin making CSV models in the third quarter of 2004. The Buick Terraza, Saturn Relay, the Chevrolet Uplander and Pontiac Montana SV6 will be produced at the automaker's Georgia plant. The Terraza and Relay are the first crossover sport vans to be manufactured by the Buick and Saturn brands respectively.
Seat systems -- provided by Johnson Controls -- for GM crossover sport vans will include a variety of configurations for seven passengers. The vehicles will have available heated front seats and six-way and eight-way power driver seats, as well as cloth and leather choices. Among the features, some front and second-row seats will include convenient flip-up food tray features attached to the inboard sides. Storage pockets in back panels of the front bucket seats provide ample space for small items, including video headphones. The available second row flip and fold bucket seats will feature integrated child safety seats. All seat positions will have three-point seatbelts. The vehicles' 50/50-split third-row stowable bench seats can comfortably seat three people or be folded flat to create extra cargo space.
Johnson Controls also supplies rear convenience centers for CSVs, located behind the third-row seat for cargo storage capabilities. It's a covered, latchable area on the floor that has three storage compartments and a lid. The 50-50 third-row split bench can be used independently in fully upright, split, and fold-flat positions. The cargo area also can easily be accessed on one side with just one-half of the seat system in use.
For added utility in the sport vans, Johnson Controls is supplying overhead systems featuring its innovative overhead rail product -- called the Railport(TM) Vehicle Personalization System. It features flexible docking technology that provides for the attachment of a variety of modular devices. The system enables consumers to customize the interior of their vehicle at the point of purchase and throughout the vehicle's lifecycle. Railport's modular devices can be attached easily into place, updated as necessary and/or removed by vehicle owners.
The rail system also enables consumers to customize vehicle interiors to match their unique lifestyles and hobbies. Railport can be configured with a variety of different modules developed by Johnson Controls and its partners. Among the available modules in the General Motors sport vans are Johnson Controls' AutoVision DVD video entertainment system, and storage compartments for CD/DVD cases, sunglasses and first-aid kits. With the AutoVision system, consumers can use auxiliary video and audio inputs for video games, camcorders or other types of external equipment.
Johnson Controls is a global market leader in automotive systems and facility management and control. In the automotive market, it is a major supplier of integrated seating and interior systems, and batteries. For non- residential facilities, Johnson Controls provides control systems and services including comfort, energy and security management. Johnson Controls , founded in 1885, has headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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NOTE TO EDITORS: For access to other Johnson Controls news releases and additional company information, visit the company's site on the World Wide Web at http://www.johnsoncontrols.com . Photos of Johnson Controls' products are available from Heidi Parent of Johnson Controls at (734) 254-6220.