Automotive & Transportation

Polycarbonates Powering Automotive Innovation at CES

The automotive world has undergone a revolution thanks to the use of electricity.

Not only in electric vehicles with high-voltage networks but also in the development of various sensors and actuators that redefine the driving experience, making it more enjoyable, autonomous, and secure. The Company Plastic Omnium demonstrated that at CES.

You can read: SABIC Makes Polycarbonate From Mixed Recycled Plastics.

To usher in this highly electrified automotive era, elements such as radars, sensors, LEDs, and cameras need to be incorporated into the low-voltage electrical networks of vehicles. These components must withstand extreme conditions during use, including high temperatures, exposure to impacts, UV rays, and even humidity. Thus, thermoplastic polymers, such as polycarbonates, have found significant potential in the automotive industry.

Thermoplastics in the Automotive Industry

Polycarbonates have an amorphous structure and excellent properties in terms of toughness, lightweight construction, high-impact strength, and transmittance. Traditionally, they have been used in the manufacturing of LED headlights and bumpers. Some companies, like Plastic Omnium, have elevated the use of these thermoplastic plastics to another level, offering products for the automotive world with high levels of technological integration, customization, and safety.

Plastic Omnium’s Smart Bumper and Tailgate Lead the Way

Among the range of products offered by this company, with more than 75 years in the automotive sector, are the Smart Bumper and the Smart Tailgate. These products integrate sensors, radars, and lighting, enabling vehicles to communicate with the environment and convey information to the driver.

Recently, at the latest edition of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Las Vegas 2024, Plastic Omnium won the CES Innovation Award 2024 in the “Vehicle Entertainment” category for its dynamic interior dashboard projection system. This once again demonstrates that thermoplastics and polycarbonates have many advantages to offer in the future of the automotive sector.

You can read: Rear Guard: Blow Molded Ford Bumpers Have Rear Park-Assist Sensors

By Rogerio Gomez | February 13, 2024

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