LAS VEGAS – Visteon is planning to launch its first in-vehicle wireless charging system in 2013 with a major vehicle manufacturer. The company says it will be among the first automotive suppliers to bring wireless charging into a high-volume production vehicle platform.
Visteon is displaying its wireless charging capabilities at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week in Las Vegas. According to the company, this technology provides a convenient way to ensure portable electronics equipped with compatible inductive charging receivers are always charged and ready to go. It eliminates the need for dedicated power cords for each portable device in the vehicle. The user places the device on Visteon’s charger, and power is transferred wirelessly to the portable device, at a rate comparable to a plug-in power cord. The wireless charger contains intelligence that can determine if an object is in close proximity to the charger and whether the object can be charged, according to Visteon.
Visteon says it first earned recognition for wireless technology in 2007, when the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) named Visteon an International CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards honoree. Visteon is working with several wireless charging technology partners on its current product offering.
"Demand for this technology is rising sharply, and we see a tremendous opportunity for wireless power in the automotive market," said Albert Faraj, Visteon’s global director, electronics sales and strategy. "We’re looking forward to our first high-volume production program using this technology, and we’re committed to integrating new wireless charging-enabled devices in vehicles as the market expands."
Delphi also is working on wireless in-vehicle charging technology, with its prototype on display this week at CES. Delphi is testing the system on research vehicles and intends to be production-ready by model year 2014.
