In this application, Motherson and Solace Power explored the potential of wirelessly heating and defrosting thermoplastic exterior car parts. For this project, the specific scope was limited to wirelessly delivering heat to a heating coil that is embedded in an exterior radar cover. Due to the location of the heating coil and Class A part requirements, it is undesirable to use a physical power connector as it is difficult and requires manual labor to assemble, can be visually unappealing, and presents a potential point of failure. Motherson and Solace Power teamed up to combine their respective strengths in wire harnesses, plastic components, and wireless power.

The EU legislation requires that, by 2030, 25% of plastic used to build a new vehicle must come from post-consumer recycling. For this reason, Motherson discovered #tide’s ocean-bound recyclates, its target-oriented compounding and quality controlling, and decided to team up with the startup to replace virgin plastics within the automotive parts. This goal is aligned with the automotive OEMs who need to increase the recycled plastic content in their vehicles and reduce their carbon footprint. Yet, there are only a few suppliers in the recycling industry that offer global post-consumer grades with a consistent quality and technical support.