Johnson Controls Shares Top Interior Development Trends At The 2013 North American International Auto Show

DETROIT, Jan. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Design experts at Johnson Controls, a global leader in automotive seating, say the focus on providing drivers and passengers with a luxury experience is an emerging trend, especially in growing markets like China. The company will showcase its interior innovations at the 2013 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Detroit's Cobo Center.          

"Our automaker customers look to our research capabilities to produce interiors that help set their vehicles apart," said Thomas Gould, design director, Johnson Controls Automotive Seating. "At Johnson Controls, consumer and market research has always been a driving force behind our design and development efforts."         

One trend is the redefinition of luxury that focuses on driver / passenger experiences, as well as the appreciation of sustainable materials. The trend is toward simple elegance, superior craftsmanship, authentic materials of high quality, attention to surface finishes and contoured stitching and soft trim padded comfort.  Examples of this can be seen in Johnson Controls' new Gen 3 Synergy Seat, with its premium comfort characteristics.

Another trend is the continued move toward mass reduction and sustainability, which is driving innovations that offer fuel efficiency and decreased energy consumption, new lightweight material composites, space efficiency and weight reduction while maintaining market safety requirements.

Examples of this trend can be seen in several Johnson Controls products such as the Synergy Seat, which uses natural fiber-reinforced composites in place of steel, and the new ComfortThin rear seat, with its slim contours that reduce overall vehicle dimension and its recyclable coil-spring technology.

Today, design is no longer just about styling, but about attention to details. Personalization is a key differentiator for consumers. To address this, Johnson Controls is focusing on surface finishes such as 3-D tactile grains. In addition, the custom perforated leather in its Synergy Seat localizes ventilation for optimum comfort. The company's new Wristwatch seat showcases creativity with its unique 3-D trim design that gives a handcrafted appearance.

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