The autonomous vehicle in present days is showing the limitless imagination and presentable products from the different automobile manufacturers. It is altogether reshaping the automotive vehicle design and something new to present it to the customers with its unique way of utilizing the vehicle not just in a conventional manner.
The latest from Asahi Kasei Europe, is the pod vehicle, an autonomous vehicle.
As per Heiko Rother, General Manager of Automotive Business Development at Asahi Kasei Europe,
“Customer demands are driving automobile manufacturers to change existing processes in the direction of more safety, more comfort, and more sustainability for the vehicle.”
“Therefore, the materials used in the automobile, in addition to the drive used or the driving performance, are a decisive differentiator.”
Asahi Kasei is a multinational Japanese chemical company with headquarters in Tokyo. The company got its offices and plants across Japan, China, Singapore, Thailand, the USA, and Germany. The net revenue for FY 2022 is 2,731.0 billion yen. In 2022, the brand value of Asahi Kasei Corporation was 2,318 million USD.
The company products are Chemicals, Fibers, Construction materials, Pharmaceuticals, medical devices, electronic devices, and materials.
In the concept car by Asahi Kasei, “AKXY2”, the specialty is the height-adjustable doomed roof. The redefining of the future society with pod vehicles to become a meeting place for social gathering.
The company also focused more on the interior due to the survey results showing the demand of the customers for the interior to be increasing more. The survey conducted in China, Germany, Japan, and the USA also shows that more than 50% of car users are willing to choose a different brand from the one they bought.
The interior surface of the vehicle is covered with a microfiber suede, partly consisting of recycled polyester. The vehicle seats are made with spacer fabric, double-layered textiles, and partly bio-based polyester.
The materials are chosen wisely to contribute a lower carbon footprint than conventional cars. The tire treads are made of synthetic rubber and it is considered to provide good wet grip with reduced rolling resistance.
The features also reduce the abrasions of microplastics. The rubber on the tire is made with biomass-based butadiene. The interior is soundproof with proper hygiene.
The company also took the advantage of COVID-19 scenario, and observe the pattern of the customer need and especially with an antimicrobial interior surface and the quality of the air to be a good level.
The particular observation led the company to use antimicrobial textiles. The sensors monitor the CO2 content, detecting abandoned occupants or even pets in the vehicle.
The vehicle is equipped with semi-transparent and backlit fabrics and optical plastic fibers. Individual ambient lighting is provided in the vehicle.
As it is clear, with a different brand and new models, the interior has become more digital but not something different that customers like to experience than the one they are driving. However, with demand, the price also needs to be considered. With every innovation, the price of the vehicle also rises high.