BCS Automotive Interface Solutions (BCS-AIS), a designer, developer and producer of intricate switch and switch modules for major automotive manufacturers globally, has initiated a collaboration with UltraSense Systems, renowned for its innovative human-machine interface (HMI) controller ICs. This strategic partnership aims to introduce advanced solid-surface touch systems with multi-mode sensing capabilities into steering wheels for automotive OEMs.
The integration of UltraSense’s TouchPoint Q TapForce HMI controllers into BCS’s latest solid-surface steering wheel switch boxes with active haptics will specifically cater to Chinese and other international auto makers. Production is scheduled to commence before the end of 2023.
Tim Zhou, R&D director at BCS, said, “With UltraSense’s partnership, we are confident that our solid-surface multi-mode steering wheels and other next-generation touch products will stand out with our customers to deliver an exceptional touch user experience.”
The UltraSense TouchPoint Q incorporates QuadForce architecture, establishing a new benchmark in force-sensing technology within the automotive industry. Employing a MEMS piezoelectric process, this technology integrates four microscopic strain sensors into each TouchPoint controller. These include immunity to low- and high-temperature sensitivities, enhanced resilience against mechanical and aging stresses compared with alternative force-sensing technologies, immediate robustness in capacitive touch systems and the capability for calibratable force thresholds customized for specific automotive use cases.
Mo Maghsoudnia, founder and CEO of UltraSense Systems, commented, “Our collaboration with BCS is a major milestone for UltraSense and a testament to our technology’s role in the automotive industry’s rapid transformation from mechanical to solid-surface digital touch interfaces. We’re excited to partner with a global leader like BCS with a strategically aligned vision of changing the way we interact with the interior of the vehicle by providing solid-surface touch experience solutions.”
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