Faurecia to Discuss Effects of Autonomous Vehicles, Biometrics on Car Interiors at WardsAuto Interiors Conference

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., May 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Two of Faurecia North America's foremost experts will discuss the effects of autonomous vehicles and biometrics on the future of automotive interiors at WardsAuto Interiors Conference today.

Matt Benson, the head of Faurecia's Autonomous Experience Initiative, will discuss how autonomous vehicles will affect car interiors as part of a panel discussion on "What Do Future Consumers Want?" The session will explore new concepts in comfort and connectivity, and examine how future vehicle buyers, as young as eight years old, view autonomous cars and other future technologies. Benson will share findings from Faurecia's research and collaborations with Stanford University, the University of Michigan and other institutes, with a focus on:

• Improving the value of the time spent inside the vehicle
• Design changes when driving is no longer the focus
• Mitigating motion sickness
• Creating a connected and intuitive experience

The panel will take place at 11 a.m.

In the afternoon, Jim Hotary, Director of Faurecia's xWorks Innovation Center, will join the "Wellness, Personalization and Entertainment" panel. The session will discuss how biometrics and other advanced technologies, with features that can reduce stress, raise alertness or entertain, can be used to help drivers feel better at the end of their trip than they did at the beginning. Hotary will explore the importance of understanding occupant status to increase comfort and safety with a focus on:

• The role of the interior in understanding the needs of occupants
• The increasing adaptability of the cabin
• How information gathered from the vehicle can provide data for other systems
• How vehicles can be used to improve an occupant's physical condition

The panel will take place at 3:45 p.m.

"Advances in the use of technologies are rapidly changing how people interact with their vehicles," said Faurecia North America President Mark Stidham. "As a leader in car interiors, our goal is to constantly innovate and explore the full potential of what the interior can do. Sometimes, this means looking outside our industry to understand how we can integrate other parts of our lives into the time we spend in our cars. For instance, the integration of biometrics into seats, as well as other parts of the interior, presents new opportunities—and we look forward to sharing that perspective at the Wards Interiors Conference."

Faurecia is a Platinum Sponsor of the WardsAuto Interiors Conference, which is North America's only event dedicated to automotive interiors. The conference is annually hosted at the Cobo Center in Detroit.

About Faurecia

Faurecia is one of the world's largest automotive equipment suppliers. The company consists of four key Business Groups: Automotive Seating, Emissions Control Technologies, Interior Systems and Automotive Exteriors. In 2015, the Group posted sales of $23 billion. As of December 31, 2015, Faurecia employed 103,000 people in 34 countries at 330 sites, including 30 R&D centers. Faurecia is listed on the NYSE Euronext Paris stock exchange and trades in the U.S. over-the-counter (OTC) market. For more information, visit: http://na.faurecia.com/en   

In North America, Faurecia had sales of $6.4 billion in 2015. It employs more than 20,000 people at 48 locations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

SOURCE Faurecia

Related Links

http://na.faurecia.com/en