In the late 1950s came a novel idea for driver and passenger seats, aiming to provide individual seating arrangement. Bucket seats eventually liberated a new space, right in the middle, evolved over decades to the most socially engaging part of the vehicle: the center console. Read more about its history in this week’s Coffee Corner. As originally, today they’re still mostly made from plastic. Lately, though, alternative materials are popping up—light weights, naturals, new materials that make the console more attractive…some consoles are even made of glass, which is becoming a design element (as we’ve previously reported) and structural material. That’s the focus of this week’s in-depth coverage. And our report on the history of the cup holder complement the (center) perspective!
The console is not just central to the Interior, but also central to HMI. That will be a primary main topic at the DVN-Interior Workshop next month, on 25-26 April in Köln. BMW; Forvia; Grupo Antolin; Valeo; Kurz/PolyIC, and many other automakers and suppliers will present their latest innovations and ideas in this constellation of foci. There will also be a materials-and-sustainability subtheme, with presentations on the holistic approach of companies like Grammer.
The Workshop docket is almost final; you can see it here. You’ll not want to miss this grand event—register now while it’s on your mind! We’re looking forward to seeing you there.