On September 9, 2016 – Merck, a science and technology company, is focusing on the future of mobility at its annual “Displaying Futures” symposium. The theme of today’s symposium, which is being held for the first time in Darmstadt, is “Driving Forces – inspired by Performance Materials”.
The event is intended to give internationally renowned futurists and mobility experts the opportunity to exchange ideas with designers and experts from the automotive production and supply industry. Today, materials from Merck are already used in many vehicle components. As a technology leader in the relevant areas, Merck also wants to underscore and expand its role in constructing the cars of the future.
“This year’s ‘Displaying Futures’ symposium is about tomorrow’s mobility. As a manufacturer of materials for the automotive industry, we want to understand the trends in order to know what materials will be needed in the future. We want to demonstrate the potential of new materials and support automotive manufacturers in using them so that our materials and technologies are part of the cars of the future,” says Walter Galinat, Member of the Executive Board of Merck and CEO of Performance Materials.
As the long-standing market leader in liquid crystals, Merck has declared deploying its liquid crystals expertise in applications beyond displays as part of its strategy. Recently, Merck announced plans to invest € 15 million in the construction of a production unit for liquid crystal window modules.
Interdisciplinary dialogue on future mobility
Following four symposia in Asia and one in the United States, this year Merck is hosting the sixth “Displaying Futures” symposium for the first time in Europe. The event allows experts, customers and partners to collaborate intensively across disciplines and industries. The targeted exchange of information and contacts inspires the development of new materials. The topics of the conference focus on tomorrow’s vehicle and mobility concepts: autonomous driving, alternative engine types, networked cars, and car sharing.
Many of the new technologies will pose major challenges not only to car makers and legislators. Today, only 2% of new cars are electric vehicles. One-third of urban areas is occupied by cars parked for more than 90% of the time. This gives rise to tremendous opportunities: Less congested roads, fewer accidents, cleaner air, relaxed driving, and more free space in overcrowded cities. This year’s symposium wants to help shape the way to achieve this. Speakers include Aric Dromi, Professor Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, Thimon de Jong, Joachim Kolling, and Miriam van der Lubbe.
Automotive Platform with materials of today and tomorrow
Merck already supplies the automotive industry with a wide array of products that offer aesthetics and functionality: effect pigments for automotive coatings, liquid crystals and OLEDs for various displays and semiconductor materials for chips. LEDs and OLEDs provide new design options for lighting and are additionally very energy-efficient. Future projects include liquid crystals for free-form displays, such as for dashboards, sunroofs and light control in headlights.
Merck has established an Automotive Platform in order to concentrate specifically on the innovation fields of the automotive industry. A futuristic concept vehicle idea developed specifically for Merck impressively shows what materials can be used where and for what functions in a car of the future.