Sustainable alternatives series: How car interiors can become greener

Exploring the world of sustainable driving, we’ve had the pleasure of talking to Sebastian Wandtke, Senior Manager Innovation at Faurecia Interiors. Faurecia, as part of the FORVIA-Group, is leading innovators in making mobility more environmentally friendly with a unique and comprehensive approach to the automotive challenges of today and tomorrow. Seating and interiors are two major domains, in which Faurecia operates. Sebastian gives us a behind-the-scenes look into the many different ways the automotive technology leader contributes to a more sustainable mobility.

How is it possible to make the interior of vehicles really sustainable? Do you have an example for us?

We are speaking about three main pillars of sustainability: use less, use better, use longer. This means that in production we pay particular attention to saving energy, reducing waste and optimizing our logistics processes. The goal is to create added value for our customers without having to use more material to do so – which is why we think sustainability from the very first design sketch. Another important building block is the increasing integration of sustainable materials produced by our newly established MATERI’ACT brand. The third aspect, "use longer," encompasses the recyclability, upgradability and modularity of our products: We want to extend the life of our modules by not only manufacturing them sustainably, but also by being able to replace, refurbish or upgrade them.

Which raw materials are used in Faurecia parts?

In the area of interiors, i.e. in instrument panels, center consoles and door panels, we nowadays mainly use plastic supports made of materials such as polypropylene, which can be laminated with decor, consisting for example of genuine leather, artificial leather, textile or PVC.

Can you give specific examples of low-emission alternatives that can be used to replace traditional materials these days? And in which components are they used?

Our newly founded brand MATERI’ACT develops, sources, produces and sells materials with low, and ultra-low footprint with up to 85% CO2 reduction compared to current materials. The range of products includes recycled, bio-based and carbon-capturing compounds, bio-based foils, low CO2 carbon fibers, and green steel for the automotive industry and beyond. For example, we will use the natural fibers of hemp to create visually and haptically appealing surfaces in the cockpit.

What are you currently working on? Are there any innovations that you can tell us about?

On the one hand, we are driving forward several innovation projects to increase the modularity and circularity of our instrument panels, center consoles and door trims. On the other hand, the so-called mono-material approach is an important topic in our product families: All components of a part should be from one material family in order to be able to recycle the part completely without having to separate different materials beforehand.

How long can it take on average for an innovative idea to become a product ready for series production?

If all stakeholders are aligned we can be fast – here we are talking about a period of 9 to 12 months. If more complex materials or processes have to be developed, we're talking more like one to two years from idea to validated product and processes.

When it comes to sustainable mobility, most people first think of alternative engines and zero-emission fuels – but to what extent can a more sustainable interior also improve the carbon footprint of vehicles?

A shift in perception is currently taking place here: Megatrends such as electrification, autonomous driving and the car as a 'third place' are making the interior, its design and its sustainability, increasingly important for the end customer and for the carbon footprint. Our customers expect us to offer a sustainable interior. At CES 2023, for example, we will present an interior concept that reduces CO2 emissions by 45% through lightweight architectures, sustainable materials and energy-optimized electronics.

What do you think: Will it be possible to produce a 100% carbon neutral interior in the future?

Yes, it is definitely our goal to offer solutions to the OEMs to meet their ambitious CO2 commitments. As a start, we will switch our production to green electricity to implement zero emission production processes. In a next step, we include the circularity of the individual parts of every product from the very beginning in order to reduce waste and increase recyclability. This can only work if sustainable material alternatives with extremely low CO2 footprints are available.

The automotive industry faces great expectations from politicians and society because of its responsibility in the fight against climate change – what contribution can Faurecia make to achieving the climate targets?

Faurecia is setting new standards in the production and integration of sustainable materials – which is why we founded MATERI’ACT. As a systems integrator with decades of experience, however, we are not only able to develop the right materials – we also have innovative product concepts and the industrial footprint to enable mass production to establish new benchmarks in the market.

Thank you, Mr. Wandtke, for taking the time and the very interesting insights into your companies sustainability efforts! We’re excited for the many innovations we will surely see coming from you.