BHTC Will Display Autonomous Vehicle Technology At AutoMobili-D

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Jan. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH (BHTC), a global leader in air conditioning controls and HMI components for the automotive industry, is introducing a number of new products to improve autonomous-vehicle interior comfort and safety.

Palm and fingerprint recognition systems will be among the technologies the automotive supplier displays (Booth AD08) at AutoMobili-D on January 14-21 during the North American International Auto Show.

Future vehicle cockpits will require creative control concepts and intelligent human machine interfaces designed to accommodate the multiple-use scenarios needed for autonomous vehicles, according to Christian Thiele, general manager and CEO of BHTC.

"Our engineering teams have developed a number of technologies to help drivers focus their mental resources on traffic flow and movement, while making control of vehicle climate and entertainment functions extremely intuitive," said Thiele. "Despite all of the distractions connected technology presents to the driver, our HMI systems allow drivers to focus on the road."

Thiele said BHTC control systems offer advanced features that include palm and fingerprint recognition, as well as multi-touch capability, touch on leather, force sense, haptic and acoustic feedback. BHTC technologies also ensure secure user authentication to protect personal information.

In addition to touch-sensitive solutions, BHTC customers also will be shown a 3D gesture control system integrated into a roof control unit that not only provides increased driving safety, but also allows user identification for security purposes and personalization. The system's individual gesture algorithms utilize an automotive time-of-flight camera to interpret static and dynamic 3D gestures, including palm recognition.

About BHTC

Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH (BHTC), a joint venture of MAHLE Behr GmbH & Co. KG and Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., is the world leader in air conditioning controls and a specialist for display and touch-control systems (HMI) for the automotive industry. The company's most important product groups are operating and control units for vehicle air conditioning, center information displays, touch panels, blower controllers, PTC heaters and climate sensors.

The joint venture was founded in 1999 and today has approximately 2,500 employees worldwide. The company has facilities in Lippstadt, Germany (headquarters); Farmington Hills, Michigan; San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; Shanghai, China; Pune, India; Tokyo, Japan; Sofia, Bulgaria, and Tampere, Finland. Turnover in 2016 was around ?415 million.

Additional information is available at www.bhtc.com .

SOURCE BHTC