Coburg/Munich
IAA Mobility 2021: Brose provides comfortable vehicle access
Whether entering your own car, ride sharing vehicles or autonomous people movers – components and systems from Brose offer new comfort experiences for vehicle access. At the IAA Mobility 2021 in Munich the family-owned company will demonstrate how it intelligently connects all components in the door to create added value for OEMs and consumers. For the first time the automotive supplier will also present its own control elements that completely replace conventional door handles.
When approaching the parked car, the vehicle recognizes and welcomes the driver with window projections. The user makes a gesture to signal the desire to enter. The side door opens automatically; radar-based collision protection guarantees safe operation. Thanks to automotive supplier Brose, this entry scenario will already be possible in the next generation of vehicles. In Munich the company is presenting all the necessary components – from the side door drive to the closure system – and showcasing how its sensors and software create an intelligent, connected system. “Vehicle comfort begins with boarding. We took a holistic view of vehicle access in the further development of our product portfolio with a focus on the user,” explains Christof Vollkommer, Executive Vice President Exterior Brose Group. The family-owned company’s solutions allow for more comfort in every stage of further development and adapt easily to different requirements.
Flexible operation
The heart of the system for vehicle access is the “access module”, a concept that Brose will introduce for the first time at the IAA Mobility. It is mounted flush in the side door and replaces the conventional handle. This opens up new possibilities for appealing vehicle design while also offering more options for operation such as simple manual opening via a retractable handle, a touch-sensitive surface or a radar sensor. The latter option is gesture activated or, if desired, starts the door movement fully automatically as soon as the user approaches the vehicle. “It all happens so quickly that the natural flow of movement is not interrupted when boarding,” explains Vollkommer. The radar sensor also serves as collision protection and provides the necessary safety. Light strips offer modern options for communication between the vehicle and its surroundings: for example, the access module can draw attention to an imminent door movement.
Door presenter as an alternative to the side door drive
Another new product in Brose’s portfolio is a door presenter. It opens the door wide enough for the vehicle user to conveniently grasp it and pull it open completely. This makes it possible to implement new designs and increase user comfort in a cost-effective way without the need for a fully equipped side door drive with collision protection. The door presenter is also powerful, which means it can even break open a door that has been frozen shut. The drive has a particularly small form factor, allowing for simple integration in the door at the ideal point of activation. This makes it easy to offer the feature as an option.
Access systems for people movers
Autonomous shuttles will play an important role in urban mobility scenarios of the future. Brose has teamed up with cooperation partner Bode to engineer an access concept for people movers. Among other features, it includes operating interfaces, obstacle detection and technology for fully automatic opening and closing of vehicle doors. The system comes as a pre-assembled unit, which significantly simplifies assembly and shortens installation time from several hours to around 20 minutes. The approach eliminates the otherwise standard use of a rotating column in the interior, which leaves more room for passengers and cargo. Brose is also developing barrier-free access solutions and will introduce a concept for safe, comfortable standing and reclining in autonomous driving scenarios.
Brose at the IAA Mobility
Brose is presenting the latest concepts for comfortable vehicle access and other mobility solutions at the IAA Mobility in Munich from 7 to 12 September in Hall B1, Stand B60. Interested visitors can try out e-bikes equipped with Brose drives on a test track in the Hofgarten at Odeonsplatz at Stand HG500. Additional information is available here:
https://www.brose.com/de-en/iaa-2021/
.
A modern collision protection based on radar sensors prevents damage.
Together with the cooperation partner Bode, Brose has developed an access concept for autonomous shuttles, so-called people movers.