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A 3M demonstration vehicle’s
2007 technology tour provided a showcase of various in-development
and production-ready technologies, including an energy-saving film
that improves the brightness of the back-of-vehicle image.
The technology preview
vehicle’s rearview mirror produced by Gentex and debuting in the
2008 model year on a Ford truck and a Mazda crossover vehicle uses a
3M brightness enhancement film to sharpen the rear-of-vehicle scene
that is displayed on a portion of the mirror when the vehicle is in
reverse gear.
“We’re not creating any new
light. The film is just managing the light to come out toward you,”
said Brian Pospy, a Business Development Manager for 3M Automotive.
In contrast to improving a display image’s brightness and uniformity,
3M’s light control film prevents unwanted in-dash display reflection
and glare from being cast onto the windshield.
“It’s like having horizontal
blinds in the display,” said Pospy. This productionready film would
mean instrument-panel displays would not need “a hood for the
gauges which essentially means more available real estate in the
vehicle as well as design freedom for the interior designer,” said
Pospy.
3M’s Viki III short for Vikuiti
Display Enhancement Products demonstration vehicle also showcases
trim films, which are still in development. “Thus far, our
automotive film applications have been for the exterior of vehicles to
prevent stone chips and abrasions but this is our first major effort
with trim films for the interior,” said Doug Smith, a Business
Development Manager for 3M’s Automotive Division.
The trim films simulate the
look and feel of real wood and metal via color, pattern, and texture
for applications including door panels and instrument panels. “3M
has been supplying these films to the architectural industry for
several years, but now the company is creating film grades for
automotive interior applications,” said Smith, noting that the final
steps before commercialization not expected before the 2009 model
year are heat- and scratch-resistance confirmation testing.
Metallic reflective film is another indevelopment technology
spotlighted on the Viki III. “LEDs fire into the edge of the film,
and the light bends 90° because of the optical properties in the
film,” said Robert Miller, Lighting Designer and Marketing Manager
for 3M Automotive. Further refinement of the film is ongoing for a
variety of applications, including dome lights and other ambient
lighting areas inside the vehicle.
The demonstration vehicle also
sports several light distribution systems e.g., precision lighting
elements, light string, and light-by-wire aimed at giving vehicle
interior designers new ways to illuminate consoles, cup holders, and
sill plates, as well as under seats. Viki III was seen by numerous
automotive and supplier company representatives in the U.S. and
Europe.
Kami Buchholz |
