Printed electronics in automotive: current applications and future trends

Printed electronics has become a key technology for the automotive industry, thanks to its undeniable advantages like, lightweight, high integrability, mechanical flexibility and design freedom as well as high-volume and low-cost production capabilities. In most cases it acts as an almost imperceptible servant in a variety of applications to make our car journey, more comfortable, safer and convenient – in some cases already for many years. For instance, the seat belt reminder function enabled by a printed electronic device, contributed decisively that fastening the seatbelt became a matter of course for people. Thus, it has been helping to save thousands of lives and prevent serious injuries until now for more than 25 years. In fact, since the beginning printed electronics played a significant role when important advances were made in the area of passenger safety in automobiles, which keeps on setting cornerstones for additional supporting functions till today. In this regard, printed and flexible electronics has emerged to be an enabler for cost-efficient solutions to support new trends and helps to meet new, emerging legal requirements and to implement consumer rating incentives. Key drivers in the automotive market are software defined mobility, connected and autonomous vehicles, e-mobility as well as the emergence of smart traffic and road safety applications. It follows that the need for new sensor systems, highly reliable, real-time data acquisition, transfer and processing become more than ever a mandatory prerequisite. So- called software defined sensing solutions will evolve in the future. By fusing individual inputs from standalone sensors, intelligent sensing platforms are created using the methodology of distributed, connected and collaborative sensors to realize novel functions and applications more efficiently, e.g. in-cabin monitoring systems. Within this scope, hybrid printed electronics has an important role to play as potential enabler for upcoming requirements in terms of connectivity & communication as well as edge-computing. Beyond this, advanced infotainment systems, user experience and sustainability are further important drivers and will foster novel applications like lighting technologies, tire state monitoring and smart surfaces as well as novel materials and processes for large scale recyclability of devices. Overall, printed and flexible electronics has a promising future in the automotive sector as continued advances in materials science and manufacturing technologies will pave the way to comply with upcoming novel trends in the future mobility.