Future brief: Automotive
Use the links below to explore this Future Brief and discover related products.
Build to do more and leave less
- 1Intelligent automotive polymers for next-generation vehicles
- 2Driving circularity with eco-friendly automotive polymers
- 3Multifunctional solutions to enable innovation in automotive
Explore how smart automotive polymers enable software-defined vehicles with lightweight foams, EMI shielding plastics, and high-performance materials that protect electronics while supporting reconfigurable, connected interiors.
By 2035, vehicles will no longer be defined by horsepower alone. They will be software-defined, connected platforms that reshape mobility and user experience. From autonomous driving (Level 3–4) to hyper-connectivity and mobility-as-a-service, cars are evolving into digital service hubs on wheels. This transformation depends not only on computing and sensors but also on the materials that make these systems possible.
Why materials matter in the software-defined vehicle
Smart vehicles demand centralised computing architectures, advanced sensor suites (LiDAR, radar, cameras), and seamless over-the-air updates. Interiors are becoming modular living spaces with large displays, smart surfaces, and reconfigurable layouts. Each of these changes puts new demands on materials.
- Lightweight composites help offset the added weight of electronics.
- High-performance polymers with thermal and electromagnetic shielding protect sensitive systems.
- Conductive composites and shape-memory polymers reduce part count by integrating wiring, sensors, and adaptive components.
In short, the rise of smart mobility requires smart automotive polymers—engineered to combine performance, protection, and multifunctionality.
The role of smart automotive polymers
- Under-hood high-performance polymers like PA and PEEK deliver strength and heat resistance where traditional metals would add too much weight.
- EMI shielding automotive plastics ensure electronics remain reliable even as sensor density increases.
- Automotive lightweight foams improve passenger comfort, reduce vibrations, and support modular interior designs.
Together, these innovations allow automakers to design vehicles that are lighter, safer, and more efficient, while also delivering premium digital experiences.
Here is an overview of materials to watch out for:
| Automotive application | Key benefits | Example materials |
|---|---|---|
| Encapsulation for advanced sensors | Protects sensitive electronics like LiDAR and radar from extreme temperatures, moisture, and electromagnetic interference (EMI), ensuring reliable performance. | • Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) • High-performance polyamides (PA) • Conductive polymer composites |
| Integrated wiring and power distribution | Replaces bulky, heavy copper wiring harnesses with lightweight plastic parts that have embedded conductive pathways, reducing vehicle weight and complexity. | • Plastics with embedded conductive pathways • Conductive polymer composites |
| Energy-harvesting surfaces | Piezoelectric polymers can convert mechanical energy from vibrations and pressure into electrical energy to power low-energy sensors or auxiliary systems. | • Piezoelectric polymers (e.g., PVDF) |
| Morphing and responsive interiors | Enables adaptive control surfaces and quiet, energy-efficient haptic feedback for human-machine interfaces, massage seats, and configurable cabins. | • Electroactive polymers (EAPs) • Thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) for soft-touch surfaces |
| Digital interior displays | Provides flexible, shatter-proof display screens that can be integrated into curved dashboard shapes, offering greater design freedom and durability. | • Polycarbonate (PC) films • Flexible polymer films for OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes) |
| Smart windows and variable opacity surfaces | Changes colour or opacity to reduce glare, enhance privacy, and save energy, creating a dynamic and comfortable cabin environment. | • Electrochromic and photochromic polymers |
| Sensor integration in composites | Combines structural components with sensing capability to monitor part integrity and performance in real time. | • Smart composites with embedded sensors • Nanocomposites |
| Interior lighting and aesthetics | Offers superior optical clarity, light transmission, and weather resistance for light guides, covers, and decorative lighting. | • Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) • Polycarbonate (PC) |
| High-performance under-hood components | Delivers strength and heat resistance for engine and electronics components, replacing heavier metal parts. | • Thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) • Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) |
Looking ahead: materials and the mobility ecosystem
The convergence of autonomy, connectivity, and electrification is rewriting the rulebook for automotive design. Smart surfaces, adaptive interiors, and embedded sensing will become standard features. But they are only possible with the right materials in place.
Smart automotive polymers are no longer just enablers—they are central to the future of mobility. By balancing lightweighting, shielding, and multifunctionality, they help transform cars into sustainable, digital ecosystems on wheels.
How can we support you?
Designing in plastics is never straightforward. All sorts of considerations can influence your choice of materials and design of components for automotive lightweighting.
At IMCD Advanced Materials, we support every stage of the development process from material selection and cost assessment to advanced part design, CAE calculation, mould layout, and prototype/pre-series moulding. With a systems-thinking approach, we help manufacturers look beyond materials to the full design and production context, ensuring every decision supports performance, sustainability, and efficiency.
Reach out to your local IMCD representative to discuss your needs.
Next article
Driving circularity with eco-friendly automotive polymers