Magna Touts Moldable Touch-Control Surface

Magna International Inc. says its new capacitive sensing system can be formed to create touch controls that mold to almost any interior surface. A driver could use the system to start the vehicle, operate the audio system and control the HVAC system.

The so-called "intelligent surface" uses a copper-deposited film that can be pre-formed, over-molded or attached to existing interior plastic trim with adhesive. Magna has exclusive licensing rights for the film technology, which was developed by Plastic Electronic GmbH, a Linz, Austria-based producer of multi-layer sensors.

Magna combined Plastic Electronic's film with its own proprietary integrated device molding process (IDMP) to create touch-control surfaces with deep draws and very small radii. The Canadian company tells SAE's Automotive Engineering Online that the system offers designers a way to provide a power source in areas too restrictive for a traditional wire harness.

Magna says the near-field technology enables a smart phone to link directly to the vehicle's onboard computer, thus eliminating any security issues involved with Bluetooth or wireless Internet connections. IDMP also can be used to create molded-in inductive recharging systems that complement touch-control surfaces, according to the company.