Gentherm eyes new revenue streams through science-backed massages

LAS VEGAS — Thermal management supplier Gentherm is betting that the vehicle interior of the future can help promote a person's physical and mental well-being.

That's the promise behind the company's WellSense interior software platform, which debuted this week at CES 2024. WellSense utilizes software Gentherm developed to optimize the vehicle's heating, cooling, lumbar support and seat massage features to improve passenger comfort and driver awareness. It even offers pre- and post-workout massages specifically designed for people on their way to or from the gym, the company said.

The sharp rise in vehicle software and the ability to rethink interior design in electric vehicles has suppliers such as Gentherm eyeing new revenue streams in the age of software-defined vehicles and EVs. WellSense is one of several high-tech vehicle interior products at CES as automakers and suppliers look to utilize software, sensors and infotainment displays to distinguish themselves from competitors.

"It helps automakers to differentiate," said Nicola Gerrett, director of thermophysiology research at Gentherm, told Automotive News. "It's not really about your horsepower or how fast it goes. Electric vehicles are all quiet and can all go very fast. If you want to differentiate, what are the experiences you can create in the vehicle?"

Gerrett said Gentherm researched how to use its massaging technology to target certain muscles to achieve the desired effect on the driver or passenger. That differentiates the system from others that don't do the same, she said.

Gentherm's WellSense software uses massagers and seating heating and cooling units it manufactures to help a driver relax after a hard day of work, for example, or to keep drivers alert if the vehicle detects they're drowsy.

To relax the driver, the system could heat the driver's back and apply massages along the spine to help alleviate muscle tension. If a driver needed to be more alert, it might cool the driver's back, neck and lower legs and use the massage features to readjust the driver's posture. A post-workout setting could cycle through heat and cooling and apply the massages to the driver's larger muscles.

"We make sure we have the data and that we have evidence-based solutions," Gerrett said. "We bring external people in, and we're measuring subjective and objective measurements to do the proof of concept for these solutions. We want to make sure it's value-add for the end consumer."

The supplier said it would work with automakers to determine which features they would want and how to integrate them into their vehicles. Gentherm is pitching the system as a potential revenue source for automakers, saying many consumers would likely pay a subscription for those features.

Gentherm is working with other suppliers such as Harman and Visteon to incorporate WellSense into their systems. Harman, for example, featured WellSense seats at its CES display and demonstrated how its audio technology can complement WellSense by introducing loud or calming sounds for drivers who are detected to be drowsy or stressed, respectively.

Gentherm ranks No. 96 on the Automotive News list of North America's largest suppliers, with total parts sales of $494 million in the region in 2022.