[HMI Design] Automotive Interior Design - Hardware Interaction with "Brains"

With the breakthrough development and rapid popularization of new generation information technologies such as 5G, big data, and artificial intelligence, automobiles have become technological products covering manufacturing, the Internet, and other fields. In particular, influenced by intelligent networking technology, automobile hardware is also becoming increasingly intelligent, providing users with better interactive experience, higher safety, more convenient connectivity, and smarter car life through intelligent feedback such as user status.

Intelligent steering wheel

The steering wheel is one of the most important channels for "communication" between cars and people. In the more than 100 years of automobile development, the steering wheel has not changed much until recent years with the advancement of technology. Guided by "intelligent networking", we are committed to introducing smarter and more advanced technologies to the automotive market, allowing current users to feel the extraordinary technological charm of new products, making the steering wheel more functional, more operable, and better able to protect the safety of drivers and passengers.

1. Transform from traditional buttons to a steering wheel with a screen. The traditional center position of the steering wheel is eliminated and replaced by a large screen, which is visually beautiful, modern and fashionable, can integrate multiple functions, and can be customized according to user habits.

2. Functions are becoming more diverse. The steering wheel is not just a component for controlling direction, but also has more diverse functions, such as playing music, making and receiving calls, adjusting volume, etc., which reduces the frequency of the driver's hands leaving the steering wheel and improves safety.

3. Physical buttons become touch buttons. The physical buttons are simplified, more touch buttons are used, and the display screen displays more information, which can be said to be a step forward in overall control sensitivity, simplicity and aesthetics.

4. The hand-off detection function detects the control of the hand on the steering wheel. Once it detects that the owner's hands are not on the steering wheel, the owner will be reminded, allowing the vehicle to monitor the owner's behavior in real time.

5. Early warning reminder. While the driver is holding the steering wheel, the steering wheel can detect the driver's heart rate, judge the driver's possible fatigue driving state through the output heart rate, or detect fatigue through physical condition, and warn the driver to turn on the automatic driving mode to avoid accidents.

6. Automatic heating system. The steering wheel heating system can make the steering wheel warm in cold seasons, so that the driver no longer feels cold and uncomfortable when holding the steering wheel. In winter, you don’t have to worry about freezing your hands, which greatly improves the driving comfort.

7. Automatic retraction. The steering wheel can automatically retract according to the driver's needs when the autonomous driving mode is selected, creating more usable space in the car. 

8. Alcohol test. The steering wheel can measure the alcohol content of the driver through the breath of the driver. If the alcohol content reaches the range of drunk driving, it is judged that the driver may be driving under the influence of alcohol.

Intelligent seats

In the automotive industry, the wave of intelligent interconnection is coming and has gradually penetrated into all aspects of the car. Even car seats, which have always focused on comfort and safety, are increasingly labeled as intelligent, becoming multifunctional automotive interior parts. In the era of smart cars, automobile and parts companies will explore more and more about the intelligent functions of seats, and car seats will be more humane, making cars safer and more comfortable.

1. Driver status monitoring, and can actively adjust the seat posture through active posture monitoring and relevant information reflected by sensors to improve the health level of drivers and passengers.

2. Multifunctionality. More clever designs make the seat functions more diverse and humane, such as caring armrest design and backrest storage table design.

3. The seat back can be lowered and raised with just one button, which is easy to operate, convenient and fast.

4. Lightweight. The car seat frame system is intelligently designed, and a lighter seat frame is developed, which has the characteristics of being lighter, more breathable, stronger in wrapping and supporting. At the same time, great emphasis is placed on noise reduction of the seat system to create a more suitable car cabin environment for the future.

5. Automatic rotation. In the future, seats will be more flexible to move. Not only can they be adjusted forward and backward, left and right, but they can also rotate 360 ​​degrees, making it easy to change the cockpit layout.

6. Car seat air conditioning. As an effective supplement to the car air conditioning system, it has the function of adjusting the temperature and humidity of the seat surface, which can meet the seat temperature requirements of different people in different seasons to the greatest extent, helping the driver and passengers to maintain sufficient energy and clear reaction ability, comprehensively upgrading the driving experience and making it healthier and more comfortable.

7. Seat massage. Traffic jams have become the norm during peak hours, and drivers are highly nervous, which can easily cause the waist and back muscles to be tense and overworked. Seat massage can relieve the fatigue of drivers and passengers to a certain extent, allowing drivers to relax more, reduce fatigue on the road, and improve driving safety.

8. Smart adjustment via mobile phone. Although the seats have many functions, most of the buttons for adjusting the seats are on the side of the seats or integrated into the central control system. Adjusting the seats via mobile phone is not only convenient to operate, but also reduces the number of physical buttons on the seats.

9. Seat memory. The multi-functional electric seat adjustment can adjust the different positions of the seat in multiple dimensions, so that the passengers can achieve the best riding comfort. The seat memory can restore the pre-set optimal position with one click through the seat memory button.

10. Seat vibration warning. When a collision or accident occurs, the seat back will sense the backward force of the passenger, and the seat vibration warning will immediately trigger the protective device, causing the headrest to automatically move forward and upward to protect the head.

11. The seat ventilation and heating system allows the driver and passengers to adjust the temperature or ventilation settings of the seats according to their own needs, greatly improving comfort.

Intelligent rearview mirror

Automotive products are developing rapidly towards electronic and intelligent directions, and rearview mirrors are also developing. Smart rearview mirrors integrate navigation, driving records, entertainment and other functions. They can also provide support for safe driving assistance, analyze the road conditions in front of the vehicle, detect potential dangers, and provide warning functions. The rearview mirror has transformed into an operational part for convenient life, with all kinds of integrated functions.

1. Simple mode

The middle part of the rearview mirror is designed with a screen, and the two sides are mirrored. When the map is displayed on the screen or other interfaces are opened, the driver can still see the situation behind the car through the two sides of the smart rearview mirror.

If you are not used to using the car with the screen on, you can also enable the automatic simple mode in the settings. After turning on this function, the entire middle screen will be integrated with the mirrors on both sides, and the navigation will be indicated by simple icons and supplemented by voice broadcast. In this state, you can clearly see the situation behind the car through the smart rearview mirror.

2. Voice Control

A major feature of the smart rearview mirror is voice control, which can basically completely replace manual operation. You can give voice commands to the smart rearview mirror as soon as you get in the car. Through its voice control function, you can realize navigation, send WeChat voice messages, find restaurants, cinemas, KTVs, etc., check weather forecasts, and check stock market conditions. These functions are realized simultaneously without delaying your driving.

3. Advanced driving assistance and safety warning

The smart rearview mirror has a built-in advanced driver assistance system. Through the built-in accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetic field sensor, it can more sensitively sense the vehicle's motion state. Combined with the high-definition camera to capture images and real-time GPS data, it can build a vehicle dynamic model fusion algorithm and a road environment perception algorithm, thereby realizing reminders of the vehicle in front starting, lane departure and collision with the vehicle in front, and can provide road safety warnings for car owners.

4. The exterior rearview mirror uses "camera + display screen"

As the extension and supplement of the driver's eyes, the exterior rearview mirror needs to return to its essential function and use various electronic and software technologies to realize intelligence in terms of viewing angle and active recognition and warning. The high-definition images taken by the camera are displayed on the large screen of the interior rearview mirror. This technology can cover a wider viewing angle, thus avoiding blind spots and ensuring safer driving.

With the advancement of automobile technology, in-vehicle smart devices are becoming more and more abundant, and their functions are becoming more and more advanced. Every small detail plays a vital role in the composition of the vehicle. The humanized design of the car brings us infinite warmth. In these intelligent and touching moments, it is no longer just a simple means of transportation, but is becoming more and more deeply integrated into our lives and is inseparable.