GERMAN DESIGN AWARD 2024
Innovative automotive front panel by LEONHARD KURZ receives award
Creative, innovative and trend-setting! The jury of the German Design Awards honored the automotive front panel from LEONHARD KURZ with a "Special Mention for Front Design" in the category "Excellent Product Design - Automotive Parts and Accessories".
This pioneering design concept has already been celebrated at this year's IAA Mobility and FAKUMA in Friedrichshafen. The decorative front component conceals highly functional technology that also makes an unmistakable brand statement.
The requirement
Electromobility, autonomous driving, connected vehicles, and sustainable mobility are the guiding principles of the automotive industry. They also have an impact on the requirements of components. With this front end, KURZ has developed a solution that scores with several advantages: High design flexibility, maximum functionality, CO2-reducing process.
The solution
One particular challenge was to produce and decorate the impressive dimensions of the front panel (w x h x d: 1,130 x 290 x 160 mm) in just a single work step. This was achieved using the highly efficient In-Mold Decoration (IMD), which reduces the CO2 footprint by up to 70 percent. IMD can be combined with various hybrid technologies. In this case, the front panel was made translucent using laser etching - a process for laser removal of coating areas. This allows backlighting and design effects to deliver unique brand statements and at the same time support communication with other road users.
The surface is also radar/LiDAR permeable, making it perfect for the future of mobility. The front panel is made from a polycarbonate base and is recyclable as a complete component.
This convinced the jury:
- Highly efficient IMD decoration
- Backlightable through laser etching
- Various design options
- Sustainability from the production to the recycling process
- Radar/LiDAR permeability
- Multiple decoration options for actions such as flashing, braking or charging
- Completely recyclable component
