January 25, 2012

BMW working on Touch Sensitive ‘Smart Fabrics’ technology for future models

by ruchi

BMW is working on a new interface technology for its futuristic cars which goes by the name ‘Smart Fabrics.’ This new piece of tech wonder was born in the Polytechnic School of Montreal and is actually new flexible, polymer-based fiber that can be woven into existing fabrics. It is a capacitive pad that can register touches and swipes when alternating current is plumbed through the fibers. To translate this better, you might just have to run a finger long your seat fabric to adjust the amount of lumbar support or swipe on your dashboard ahead of the passenger to open the glovebox. And the best part is this can be actually washed like a normal fabric. We don’t know how soon the automaker will incorporate this in its vehicles, but we can only hope it in ‘near future.’

[Autoblog]