Merck high-tech for the automotive industry

Merck, a leading science and technology company, will participate in the Automotive Interiors Expo with its Automotive Platform. Suppliers and automakers from around the world will meet at the trade show, which runs from May 31 to June 2 in Stuttgart, Germany, to hear the latest news regarding automotive interior design.

Through its Performance Materials business sector, Merck already offers a wide variety of products for the automotive industry – from materials for LC or OLED displays, to effect pigments, to materials for fuel cells or lighting. The expo will address not only today’s technologies but also future trends, such as autonomous driving, networked cars and alternative drive technologies. Merck has established an Automotive Platform in order to concentrate specifically on the innovation fields of the automotive industry.

Walter Galinat, Member of the Executive Board of Merck and CEO of Performance Materials, said, "Our materials are already used in so many automotive parts to provide functionality and aesthetics. The car of the future will undergo a metamorphosis due to digitalisation and connectivity. We’re venturing a look into this future with our specially developed, futuristic concept car idea. The vehicle sketch, which we are showing to a wider audience for the first time at the trade show, includes our high-tech materials. And it shows the new paths that such materials are opening up for the automotive industry. We want to develop these further, together with partners in the automotive industry.”

Broad range of future technologies
In line with the main focus of the expo, Merck will primarily be showing materials that are relevant to interior design. These especially include liquid crystals and OLED materials that are used in various displays in vehicles. The future trend is free-form displays: They can be seamlessly adapted to various spaces, for example, in dashboards, doors, and seats. Very thin glass or even plastics can be used for them. The first prototypes for cars underscore the potential of these free-form displays. In addition, people who visit the stand can view the liquid crystal windows that are still in development and that can be used as switchable sunroofs in cars. Another interesting application is Liquid Crystal-based light guidance systems. OLED and LED materials provide new design options in lighting and furthermore they are highly energy-efficient. As the market and innovation leader of effect pigments for automotive applications, Merck has created an entire product world with a unique variety of color, luster, sparkle and gloss effects. These effect pigments can be used not only in automotive coatings, but also in the interior design of, for example, plastic or leather surfaces. Moreover, Merck offers various functional materials, such as those for laser marking or laser direct structuring for powder-coated parts or plastic components.

Expo visitors can talk with experts from Merck at the company’s stand, A5200.