Why your next cars might have heated floors and ceilings

We’ve had heated seats in cars for decades, and more recently, heated armrests in select high-end luxury automobiles like the . But what about warming other surfaces to control the temperature of an entire interior? That’s one of the technologies that Germa and heating that combine to create an inviting, lounge-like space. There’s even a coffee maker. The retro-bodied concept debuted Monday at the IAA Munich Motor Show where I got the chance to check it out firsthand.

Among other things, the Ambienc3 is loaded with sustainable fabrics, including the aforementioned heated materials that don’t rely on a separate warming element between the upholstery and cushion foams. Instead, Continental can actually print the heating elements directly on the underside of the upholstery itself using a proprietary process. Ralph Imbery, Continental’s global director of design, marketing and digitalization, tells me this tech is „10 times faster than a normal heating system, and you need a lot less energy because it’s directly on the material.“ What’s more, Imbery says, „You could also could heat the ceiling — the headliner — and also have some zones in the front where you heat the [occupants‘] knees, or legs, or their sides.“ Floors, https://cpy-skidrow.com/ door panels, dashboards, it’s all possible.

Of course, all but the most basic cars would likely still require a traditional forced-air system for cooling and ventilation, but Imbery specifically cites this technology as being of particular benefit in electric vehicles where the power draw and weight of conventional forced-air systems is felt most acutely in the form of lower driving range. It’s possible that adding a number of heated surfaces to an EV’s cabin could allow for a lighter, smaller-capacity and less-power-hungry HVAC system to be fitted while still preserving passenger comfort.