A panel session focused on materials highlights use of aluminium in automotive

A panel session focused on materials at the WardsAuto User Experience Conference highlighted some interesting applications of aluminium and other exclusive materials in automotive sector.

Gorilla Glass from Corning that is found in 4.5 billion smartphones and other devices is yet to secure a place in the automotive sector.

Chengchung (Jim) Li from Corning talked about how this damage-resistant material Gorilla Glass can be installed on vehicles of tomorrow in the form of touchscreens as an interface for drivers. In emerging markets, Li says automakers are considering a large piece of Gorilla Glass positioned behind the steering wheel, with multiple gauges visible from underneath.

Li’s panel, “Materials That Enable and Enhance the UX,” focuses on the use of exclusive materials  in a number of applications like seat sensors capable of encouraging better posture and the premium Airstream travel trailers made from aluminium that features customized capable of exceptional user experience.

The Jackson Center, OH based company Airstream encourages its employees to take a trial run of its shiny, aerodynamic aluminium trailers on the road every year for a camping trip so that they can experience the product from a customer’s point of view. The core element of such an incredible experience is the use of aluminium in the exterior and the interior.

 “You have to love the material and bring it to life,” says McKay Featherstone, VP-product development and engineering at Airstream. “It starts with the experience.”

Featherstone says aluminium is a dream material for the designers.   Airstream views aluminium as a blank canvas which can be painted upon by the designers. This indicates the versatility of this amazing material.

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“Whether it’s the exterior and its reflective nature, or today for us on the interiors and bringing the aluminium into the interior, this is really where we take that constraint and make it beautiful by focusing on the customer experience.”

“For me, it’s not just turning around the seats like in a stagecoach. But if I can promise you that you can travel, bring with you your big-screen TV, your couch, your refrigerator and your bathroom while you’re traveling, that starts to get exciting. Think of the adventures you can have when the vehicle is now traveling at night. So that big trip out to Yosemite becomes a lot more attainable from a time standpoint,” he added.