Technology with a Human Touch

(NewsUSA) - Do you remember having your fingers slammed in the car door as a kid? Or maybe you were scolded by your parents for scratching the car next to you when the wind blew the door open. How about seeing someone balance on one leg trying to pry a heavy door open while holding four grocery bags? It's safe to say we've all experienced one of these real-life "door struggles." And for those in the northern states, add dealing with frozen-shut doors to the list!

While there are too many scenarios to chronicle the inconveniences of manual car doors, there is an unsung hero working behind the scenes with automakers to resolve these issues for good.

Magna is one of the world's largest suppliers in the mobility space, and chances are, you probably have never heard of them, but likely experienced their technologies in one form or another. The power liftgate technology Chrysler debuted on the minivan 20 years ago, for instance.

Most people don't think about the auto supply chain, yet Magna designs and manufactures these systems, plus a lot more. And, as we look to the future, the company is sitting at the helm of mobility technology -- the intersection of Silicon Valley tech, automotive and smart manufacturing sectors.

Referring back to the everyday "door struggles," the innovative supplier has a solution for those too -- with SmartAccessTM, an advanced powered door system.

Compared to a traditional manual door, advanced powered doors are customizable and easier to use. Engineers at Magna explored door applications with their HaptronikTM technology -- which is a revolutionary motion control software that enhances user experience and ensures that the door will feel the same way all the time in any condition -- to expand the use cases of the manual door.

So, those slammed fingers or dinged cars? Magna's SmartAccessTM doors can dictate the speed at which doors open and close -- thankfully, helping prevent a gust of wind from deciding the fate of little fingers or the car next door. Magna is even developing an "ice breaker" feature for frozen doors.

While automakers and suppliers develop futuristic ways for people to get from point A to point B over the next 50 years, there are everyday, simpler problems that are being resolved with ingenuity in the present. SmartAccessTM was designed to create an intuitive experience for a variety of car owners. From helping an elderly person or individual with disabilities open a heavy door, to a single parent herding kids into the back seat with the convenience of a hands-free option, SmartAccessTM propels the average driver into the future today, using technology with a human touch.