Interior/Cabin

New IP process helps U.S. take lead global role for Honda manufacturing In-plant process starts at Marysville, OH, on 2013 Accord. Honda of America Manufacturing Inc. assumes responsibility for manufacturing procedures for all Honda vehicle production worldwide, as North America becomes top Honda production location. Read full story

Choosing the right tube joint seal for HFO-1234yf refrigerant compatibility One of the many system components of concern to OEMs and aftermarket service providers is the elastomeric seals used at the different joints in automotive air-conditioning. One critical aspect of seal performance is permeation, and the material compatibility issues likely to arise in relation to it, due to the new refrigeration chemistry. Read full story

Avoiding traffic congestion in the air Once aircraft are linked to satellites or ground-based stations, the design challenge shifts to disseminating signals to passengers. Read full story

QNX CAR 2 all about infotainment system personalization QNX Software Systems says Car 2 is the first pre-integrated software stack for car infotainment that leverages the power of HTML5 on a software foundation proven in more than 30 million vehicles worldwide. Read full story

Behr puts the cooling touch on Kenworth T680 cabin Before designing the new Kenworth T680, engineers made sure they knew the expectations for the Class 8 truck, including the vehicle's HVAC package that features the commercial-truck industry's first automatic temperature control system. Read full story

Nissan debuts NASA-inspired 'zero gravity' seats The front seats in the redesigned Altima midsize sedan position each occupant very similarly to what a body experiences in outer space. Read full story

Noise-damping lubricants control NVH, improve perceived vehicle quality Less noise and more smoothness are important design attributes for operators of most every type of vehicle, including passenger vehicles, heavy commercial vehicles, and off-road equipment. Synthetic noise-damping lubricants such as the Molykote brand solutions from Dow Corning can be economical, long-lasting answers to achieve these attributes in powertrain, body, chassis, and interior applications. Read full story

Magna demonstrates a smart interior A touch-sensitive smart surface and other innovative technologies are being showcased in a concept cockpit demonstrator that aims to reshape how the driver interacts with various in-vehicle systems. Read full story

Nissan Altima rearview camera performs four functions with one lens In addition to a conventional rear camera function, the wide-angle lens looks sideways to provide images for blind-spot and moving-object detection, and vehicle alignment with driving lane markings for lane-departure warning of forward drift. Read full story