One out of many: Mobis unites tech components

The art of future cockpits is not just a rethinking of one or two components, but a melding together of several technologies, seen here in COMFI — a cockpit concept that South Korean supplier Hyundai Mobis unveiled this year that stands for "convenient, comfortable, optimized, mobile, functional and illuminated."

In addition to supplying finished cockpits, Mobis makes a wide range of products that already interact with the cockpit, including airbags, headlights, brake systems, steering parts, multimedia systems, instrument panels and front-end modules. COMFI proposes an integration of the technologies, with such features as a pop-up steering wheel, a retractable table to give passengers a quick work surface, sliding side mirrors, a movable controller and display screen, and 3D pattern lighting to create a futuristic ambiance in the cabin.

"As autonomous car technologies are being deployed at a larger scale, the linchpin of automotive control is the shift from human drivers to the system," the company said of its thinking for the concept.

"As cars are transformed from being a simple means of transportation to something more resemblant of a comprehensive entertainment space, even tech companies engaged in electronics, communications and the Internet are embroiled in fierce competition to secure infotainment technology in advance."