Faurecia, one of the world’s largest automotive equipment suppliers, received the “Concept Interior Innovation of the Year” award at the Automotive Interiors Expo 2015 held at the Stuttgart Trade Fair Center (June 16-18, 2015). The prize, now in its fourth year, stands for extraordinary achievements and technologies in the field of automotive. Faurecia was able to come out on top, leaving renowned companies behind. The decision was taken by an international jury of 12 leading automotive and design journalists. This year, the experts were won over by the advanced concept and innovations of the front seats developed by Faurecia for the Renault EOLAB, the automaker’s 1-liter per 100 km concept vehicle introduced in September last year. Faurecia has drawn on its in-house technologies to reduce the weight and thickness of the EOLAB front seat without compromising on styling, safety and comfort. The front seat structure is 35% lighter than comparable seat structures in B-segment vehicles in production, thanks to an optimal combination of multiple structural materials: steel, aluminum and carbon fiber composite. Faurecia has also worked closely with Renault engineers to enhance the EOLAB seat architecture.
The sculpted, semi-rigid casing and adaptive-comfort seat back have yielded a seat that is 30% more compact, offering greater space for rear passenger legs while preserving a comfortable ride and the full array of seat adjustments for front passengers. The EOLAB seat tackles the challenge of making a slim seat look reassuring, while providing a differentiating and elegant look and feel. The EOLAB seat enjoys a high appeal among users regarding perceived comfort, thanks to the compliant plastic shell in the backrest making them feel they enter into a cocoon, while the seat design factors in the most stringent crash resistance specifications requested by Renault.
The Sculpted Light Back Panel with raised contours offers added rigidity while the rear shell of the seat back conforms as closely as possible to the seat’s rear surface. This technology reduces the weight by 650 grams compared to a plastic molded back panel and provides 30 millimeters of extra legroom for rear passengers. As a result of all these innovations, Renault offers a vehicle that provides the roominess of a car in the segment above (+3 cm), but weighs 11 kg less.
The Concept Interior Innovation of the Year Award is one of six categories of the internationally renowned Automotive Interiors Expo Awards. They have been awarded for the fourth year running and have become one of the most prestigious awards throughout the automotive industry. With this award, Faurecia is honoured for the second year in a row at Automotive Interiors Expo. In 2014, Faurecia received the “Supplier of the Year” award.