Driving your second human body

Abstract

SmarTEC is the abbreviated trademark for TenCate’s smart advanced textiles and smart advanced composites. In this master thesis, advanced textiles are defined as textiles with high-end performing functions for a broad range of industrial applications, and advanced composites are defined as engineering polymers reinforced with high-performance fibres. The strength of SmarTEC will derive from its properties, and are classified into a flexible, functional, protective, technological, emotional, and communicating value. The weakness of the material is its woven appearance, high production costs, and protective image. The automotive industry will drastically develop in the forthcoming years. With respect to the worldwide market, the mature European automotive will be leading in technology, whereas the Chinese automotive market will achieve a foremost market size and growth in general. Furthermore the market will become liable to new entrants, high degree of rivalry, and a shift of mutual power in between suppliers. The future macro developments and trends that will surround the automotive industry are classified into the terms global usership, ecology, and connectivity. With respect to the automotive customers, people will predominantly require improved functionality, efficiency and emotional interaction during their driving experience. The application areas of SmarTEC into a future automobile are a result of abovementioned material values and the developments and trends within and around the automotive industry. The showcase that will embody these application areas is the KG-1 Projecta for 2030 – in the long-term – and 2020 – in the short-term. A projecta is a general term for demonstration projects that will be used for product-technical and communicative purposes. The design of the KG-1 projecta 2030 mimics the vertical and horizontal movement of a human body, whereas the design of its intermediate equivalent of 2020 derives from the ergonomics of the human body – with the focus on the individual positioning of the driver and passenger. The commercialization process of SmarTEC is a combination of new material and new technology commercialization. Significant aspects in here are the semi-manufactured article, price per unit, exposure, market research, and partnerships. Furthermore, the commercialization of SmarTEC is an example of diversification, which is a growth strategy of introducing a new product into a new market. The strategy plan of commercializing SmarTEC is called SmarTEC Commercialization Spiral. The recommended tactics form a spiral around the original business model of TenCate, divided into three milestones, according to time. The purpose of the first milestone – representing the year 2010 – will be finding acceptance for SmarTEC at possible automotive launch customers. Recommended tactics will be: (1) open a market group Mobility SmarTEC, (2) start open innovation projects, and (3) expose SmarTEC on trade shows with the help of the KG-1 projectas. The second milestone – representing 2020 – will strive for the specific entrance within automotive niche markets with SmarTEC. These are the sports/leisure, luxurious, and versatile/urban market. Recommended tactics will be: (4) Focus on the European and Chinese automotive market, (5) approach one OEM, and (6) cut out competitors by pulling governmental norms. The aim of the third and last milestone – representing 2030 – is to gain worldwide automotive market leadership with SmarTEC. Recommended tactics will be: (7) Approach wide-ranged tier 1 suppliers and OEMs, (8) reduce high material and production costs of SmarTEC, and (9) adjust SmarTEC to end-user’s preferences.