Modular, Production-Ready Concepts for More Safety and Driving Comfort
BURSCHEID, Germany, August 26 --
- Johnson Controls Presents a Number of New Solutions at the International Motor Show 2005
Johnson Controls, one of the world's leading suppliers of automotive interior systems, electronics and batteries, will be showcasing new solutions for increased safety and seating comfort at this year's International Motor Show. The company also will present numerous concepts in the areas of materials and recycling. Among the products introduced will be an innovative door module offering greater integration options than conventional door panels. The highlight at the IAA will be the company's press conference on 14 September at 10.30 a.m. in Hall 5.1, Stand B16.
Interior comfort and flexibility play an important role in new vehicle purchasing decisions, but safety features are also a very important factor in the minds of consumers. Johnson Controls has put a great deal of effort into the subject of occupant safety and will be unveiling a large number of new solutions to the public.
- Increased protection for your head, legs and knees
One innovation being showcased by Johnson Controls is the "active headrest", which has the ability to protect the back of the neck of both driver and front-seat passengers from whiplash injuries in the event of a rear impact collision. The company has engineered a new mechanical version with the release mechanism ingeniously integrated into the seat rest. For automakers favoring sensor-controlled active headrests, Johnson Controls also offers the product with electro-mechanical and pyrotechnical releases. Once the sensor registers the crash, the headrest mechanism needs about 20 milliseconds to assume the protective position.
In addition to protecting the back of the neck, the company has also developed an active system to reduce the risk of injury to the knees by limiting the amount of slippage under the seatbelt. Unlike airbag systems, this active solution is based on a trigger-guard, which is released from the seat cushion. This restrains the legs and knees and prevents them from hitting with the instrument panel in the event of a collision. In developing this concept, the emphasis was placed on optimal cost, weight and functionality.
Occupant safety is also enhanced by a Johnson Controls tire pressure information system, integrated for the first time in the series production of a small vehicle. A special technology ensures wireless, automatic recognition of tire positioning, thus dispensing with the need for a wheel-specific reception module. Along with increased safety, seating comfort is also becoming a matter of high priority to consumers.
Active air-conditioning comfort now open to medium class vehicles Drivers of medium class vehicles desire comfortable seating in warm weather conditions, just as drivers of upper segments do. Having produced numerous designs for active air-conditioned seats in the upper segments and several passive solutions, Johnson Controls has now extended its product range to include an active air-conditioning option for the medium class segment. The new, patent-pending system, is ready for series production, as is a new surface technology.
Use of new materials leads to shorter processing times After years of experience working with surfaces, the company has begun producing its own high-quality, injection-molded skin for instrument panels. The benefit of producing this in-house is being able to determine its surface thickness, which is a real benefit for invisible airbag seams. The procedure also has the effect of shortening overall processing times. This skin will be making its debut in series production for a German automaker.
Concept for closed loop material recycling Johnson Controls has also developed an innovative recycling concept. Instead of relying on thermal processing of waste materials, the company has decided to leverage the benefits of materials recycling. It has developed suitable concepts for plastics and natural fiber substrates, which are not only environmentally friendly but also have no impact on costs. This includes such measures as utilizing production waste by turning it into recycled materials that can be used for fastening hooks on seat rests. The project has been implemented into series production.
In the future - 2008 - a new door concept will be available, offering great potential for individual adaptation to each automaker's requirements.
Door modules featuring extensive functional integration The new concept is a door panel module with all desired components already built into the system. Johnson Controls will supply a fully-tested module that needs only to be clipped into the door shell. This will simplify the process of assembly line production for the automaker. The concept will be suitable for everything from the lower-medium to luxury class segments.
If you would like to learn more about these new products and solutions, you are invited to visit Johnson Controls at the motor show and attend the press conference at their booth.
Further information is available from:
Johnson Controls GmbH Johnson Controls GmbH
Automotive Group Automotive Group
Astrid Schafmeister Ina Longwitz
Industriestr. 20-30 Industriestr. 20-30
51399 Burscheid 51399 Burscheid
Germany Germany
Phone: +49-2174-65-3189 Phone: +49-2174-65-4343
Fax: +49-2174-65-3219 Fax: +49-2174-65-3219
E-mail: astrid.schafmeister@jci.com E-mail: ina.longwitz@jci.com
Johnson Controls, Inc., 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 (New York Stock Exchange: JCI), founded in 1885, has its headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. The company's sales for 2004 totaled US$26.6 billion, the Automotive Group worldwide generating US$20.5 billion of this figure. The European headquarters is in Burscheid, Germany. The company's product portfolio also includes instrument panels/cockpits, door systems, overhead systems, interior electronics and electrical energy management.