How In2tec’s HMI solutions can enhance the driver and passenger experience

The integration of smart technology in vehicles has developed a long way in the past three decades. Once deeply innovative and fresh, features such as in-car navigation, wireless communication and infotainment systems are now commonplace in modern cars. In2tec aims to push the boundaries of what’s possible even further with our smart HMI solutions. Combining flexible circuit technology, haptic feedback, capacitive touch capabilities and visual displays, find out how integrating smart HMIs from In2tec in your next vehicle design can enhance the driving experience and give you competitive advantage.

Customise your car with HMI capacitive touch capabilities

Capacitive touch technology used in touchscreens and touch-sensitive surfaces detects the presence and location of a conductive object, such as a finger, measuring changes in capacitance, enabling precise and responsive touch-based interactions. In2tec’s experience in the automotive sector includes working with F1 and Motor Sports Teams to integrate capacitive touch to give drivers greater control over their vehicles, but this functionality can easily be applied elsewhere to allow drivers and passengers to interact with in-car mechanisms.

Consider control functions for windows, seat heating, height and lean adjustment or multimedia and the need for attractive and highly accurate capacitive touch buttons to make these and every aspect of the user experience easier and more responsive. Through the use of LED backlighting, Smart HMIs with capacitive touch can provide slick and responsive interfaces to serve your design needs. Multi-touch support also allows you to design seat controls for adjusting specific points of interest, like shoulder or neck support, and lumbar or thigh bolstering.

Get real-time support with haptic feedback

This capacitive touch functionality can be combined with real-time haptic feedback to create modern, self-calibrating interfaces, which we call Touchsense technology. Haptics with their tactile sensations, such as vibrations for physical feedback, provide users with sensory interaction in response to their actions or inputs, enhancing the overall experience. For example, haptics give users a better sense of how a car’s interface is responding to their interactions by providing tactile cues to confirm multi-input gestures when opening the windows or adjusting their seating position.

This functionality can even be integrated into the seats to provide real-time support and responsiveness to a multitude of situations. This can range from subtle adjustments to contouring and improving posture to providing gentle vibrations to relieve discomfort during long journeys, all controlled through an In2tec Touchsense interface.

Enhance the experience with visual displays

In addition, visual displays can be added to take immersion and responsivity to the next level. Although we may regularly see visual displays integrated into automotive systems, combining capacitive touch and haptic feedback enhances the experience for drivers and passengers alike. Ranging from ‘secret-til-lit’ LED backlighting to customised, touchscreen-style monitors, visual displays from In2tec can respond to complex touch gestures, only illuminating when activated and giving tactile feedback to create an immersive multi-sensory interface.

That means that technology becomes more intuitive than ever as drivers and passengers can browse menus and adjust settings through touch displays, including displays integrated into headrests for back-seat passengers. These displays can incorporate feedback gleaned from capacitive touch and haptics, giving users real-time visual feedback on enhanced safety plus important notifications. With the addition of an aesthetically pleasing and minimalist appearance to suit your customers’ needs, smart HMIs from In2tec can truly provide competitive advantage.

With our vast experience in designing smart HMI interfaces for the automotive industry, we’re always keen to discuss your options when it comes to providing drivers and passengers alike with the most intuitive in-car experience. We strive to create solutions that are not only sleek and user-friendly, but also sustainable.

With our drive for sustainable electronics, we are pushing for fundamental changes to achieve a circular vision for flexible electronics, compared to traditional ‘hard’ electronics. Flexible electronics offer inherently different properties in design, form, and materials from which they are manufactured, vast benefits that maybe were not considered until now. In turn, we present opportunities to allow circuit boards to be unzipped at the end of useful life to provide a more sustainable and environmentally friendly solution.

Our patented ReUSE® technology allows for components to be populated at low temperatures, saving energy in manufacture, and easily removed from PCBs using little more than hot water. Our patent applied ‘unzipping’ technique – ReCYCLE™ – means even complex, and high value components can be extracted easily, cleanly, and unstressed from used PCBs and returned into the supply chain for a second-life. Thus, driving a circular economy of used parts, and allowing for PCBs to have up to 100% recyclability. With the use of highly recyclable substrates, we can realise the first 100% recyclable printed circuit board assemblies, an absolute competitive advantage.

Get in touch

To find out more, or to speak to us about your project, you can contact our friendly team by phone or e-mail:  

T + 44 (0)1536 419200 (office hours GMT: 8.30am-5.00pm Mon-Thurs; 8.30am-2.30pm Fri)

E. Sales@in2tec.com

www.in2tec.com