Cabin Fever

As humans do less actual driving, autonomous vehicle interiors will transform radically to provide more creature comforts.

May 1, 2018

Terry Costlow

Retracting the steering can enhance the feeling of roominess in the cabin, as shown on Faurecia’s Renault Cockpit of the Future. (Image: Faurecia)

The transition to autonomous driving will transform many aspect of vehicles, not the least being interiors. Cabins will evolve significantly to give drivers and passengers more freedom and varied entertainment options.

Partnerships, ecosystems and holistic designs are among the buzz words associated with driverless cars, which are so complex that many companies are needed to supply all the necessary hardware and software. That’s giving providers a more influential role in the look and feel of a vehicle’s cockpit.

“Suppliers are in a stronger position to influence the industry — the normal master-slave relationship is inverted,” said Andreas Wlasak, Vice President of Design at Faurecia Interiors. “There’s less of a hierarchy where they’re the customer and we’re the supplier. Now everyone starts at zero, whether we’re working with a new startup carmaker or one that’s 100 years old.”

In an exclusive interview with Autonomous Vehicle Engineering, Wlasak detailed many of the factors that will change as the industry makes its way to fully autonomous driving. The interim period, when drivers will interact with electronic controllers of SAE Level 3 and 4 vehicles, will be challenging. But when vehicle systems make all the decisions, things change dramatically.

“At Level 5, interior design almost becomes easier again, you can do anything and everything,” said Wlasak, a leader on Faurecia’s Cockpit of the Future team. “You don’t need a steering wheel, all the cost and space it used to take can be given over to comfort and design.

Screens under development can morph into new positions so that everyone in front and back seats can see the same imagery. (Image: Faurecia)

“For the last 100 years, we’ve been trying to avoid driver distraction. Now we’re trying to create it,” Wlasak continued. “Displays are very important, but vehicles can’t look like space ships; they can’t be all screens. People still want wood, rich leather, maybe fabrics. It’s not just a digital world.”

Interim steps

Until full Level 5 autonomy emerges, interiors will need to entertain drivers who have much more freedom, but must remain engaged in driving in case roadway scenarios require human intervention. Wlasak views this transitional period as a time for automakers to try new things and see how consumers interact with interiors that aren’t designed according to conventional constraints. Retracting steering wheels to give drivers more room during long drives are possible when automated systems take control.

“Big things happen at Level 3 and 4; you can physically transform the interface,” Wlasak said. “You can put the occupants in a more relaxed position, like pivoting the seats. You do need to return people to a safe position, so there’s still a need for redundancy at Level 3 and 4. You need belts and safety systems, because accidents will still occur.”

A Faurecia seat designed in conjunction with ZF embeds pyrotechnics in the frame, making it easier to return passengers to safe positions. (Image: Faurecia)

Swiveling the seats even a few degrees makes a huge change in the perception of roominess, so it’s an attractive concept. However, turning the seats requires a lot more than changing the seat mounting. Ergonomic factors related to buttons, switches and ventilation all shift when people move.

Safety factors also change. It is no simple task to protect passengers when seat positions change often, but it will remain important until accidents no longer occur. This is one area where teaming up with partners can help provide solutions like quickly returning the seat to a safe spot.

“A seat frame we developed in a partnership with ZF has airbag pyrotechnics built into the frame; it will work when the seat is swiveled,” Wlasak said. “That’s not possible without integrated pyrotechnics. By the time the car senses an accident is coming, it’s too late for normal motors to drive the seat back to a safe position. With pyrotechnics, you’re almost shooting the passenger seat to a safe position.”

Once people are comfortable and safe, the focus shifts to entertainment. Faurecia is working more closely with suppliers of radio head units and screens. Displays are a central focus. A Faurecia concept called ‘morphing’ moves screens as driving modes change.

“Instrument panels need to be designed for two situations, autonomous and manual driving,” Wlasak explained. “Screen positions are in their normal position for manual driving, but the passenger screen can move right or left, up or down. For autonomous driving, the instrument panel can be moved to the center to expand the display. Passengers in the rear seat could see it then.”

Over the next few years, cabin accoutrements are going to transform rapidly. The vast number of options for seats, electronics and visual/tactile materials make interiors a major differentiator for vehicles. OEMs will gain or lose market share based on how they position the look and feel of different makes and models.

“Interiors are becoming a playground for expression,” Wlasak said. “Probably the most important thing every carmaker has to decide is where to position itself in the whole user-experience spectrum. Morphing may have a ‘wow’ effect, but it might mean there’s less to spend on lighting. Some brands may have a lot of switches. Others may decide on all touch-entry. ”