Asahi Kasei AKXY2 Concept Car making debuting at Detroit Auto Show
Asahi Kasei, a diversified Japanese multinational company, will present its newest autonomous EV concept car AKXY2 for the first time internationally at the North American International Detroit Auto Show on September 14 and 15 in the main concourse of Huntington Place Convention Center.
Debuting in Japan on May 25, 2022 in line with Asahi Kasei’s 100th anniversary, AKXY2 showcases the company’s cross-divisional expertise throughout the entire value chain with technology that touches the senses and ensures the highest functionality while proposing solutions to reduce the environmental impact of automobiles. Virtually everything that can be seen, touched and interacted with is made from Asahi Kasei original or collaborative technology.
The concept behind AKXY2 collects the evolving needs of car occupants into themes revolving around Sustainability, Satisfaction and Society – the “3 S’s” that Asahi Kasei projects will change the way occupants use cars and how they will more thoroughly integrate into our lives. AKXY2 will also be fully customizable in a similar fashion to the living room of our homes. The door folds out and the canopy extends upward to facilitate an open area for socialization resembling a home patio.
Conversely, closing the door and canopy provides an isolating atmosphere that can turn the interior into a very relaxing, private space. The way AKXY2 is used depends entirely on the dreams and desires of each individual occupant and should feel like a mobile extension of your own home.
“The biggest challenge we had in the planning process for AKXY2 was identifying how to provide features that hit all three of the main themes harmoniously,” says Mike Franchy, Director of North American Mobility at Asahi Kasei America. “That is one of the advantages of being in business for over 100 years – we have an expansive portfolio of products which touch on this theme and integrate them into a complete vehicle concept. While a few of the technologies are still under development, like our water-based hard coating, we have been able to actually apply them to AKXY2, making a realistic depiction of what the future of mobility can be.”
In addition to AKXY2, Asahi Kasei will be featuring a number of other innovations as well with experts at the venue to deep dive into the technology.
- Senseair Alcohol Sensor, an extremely accurate touch-free system that can detect alcohol on a driver’s breath in real time and be seamlessly integrated into vehicles.
- SunForce™, a lightweight, thermal-insulating foam with flame-retardance, high dimensional accuracy and ability to in-mold electronics, ideal for multiple uses in EV battery packs and battery manufacturing.
- Lastan™, a lightweight, flame-retardant nonwoven material ideal for preventing thermal propagation of lithium-ion batteries.
- SoForm™, a glass fiber reinforced, scratch-resistant polypropylene that has low gloss, low emissions, chemical resistance and structural performance.
- Cubit™, a 3D honeycomb fabric that can replace a portion of polyurethane foam in vehicles. The front and back surfaces can use recycled polyester fiber that can be recycled again, and some grades of Cubit use plant-derived raw materials for roughly 40% of the connecting thread.
- Polycarbonate (PC) Glazing, a water-based hard coating that can provide the necessary durability for PC to replace glass on vehicles, reducing total vehicle weight by 40-50%.
- Dinamica®Pure, a premium microfiber resembling suede which is solvent free, and uses partially recycled content creating exceptional performance and beauty.
With Sustainability as a fundamental cornerstone of its 2024 medium-term plan, Asahi Kasei will be illustrating what it means to Be a Trailblazer at the Detroit Auto Show this September.
Stop by and step inside AKXY2 to experience the future of mobility.
