China works toward innovative interiors

SHANGHAI (May 23, 2:30 p.m. ET) -- China’s automakers are driving innovation in the pursuit of an optimal balance of vehicle performance, weight-reduction and cost savings, speakers said at the China Plastics in Automotive 2012 Summit. In some ways, the Chinese OEMs are ahead of their Western counterparts. "Chinese OEMs are more willing to take risk," said Simon Yang, managing director Asia Pacific at Delphi Connection Systems. He believes the transition from "production in China" to "innovation in China" is taking place at a rapid speed. China possesses some unique advantages that can facilitate the creation and application of innovative products, and Ningbo HuaXiang Automotive (NBHX) is a case in point. Karsten Brast, general manager for research & development, revealed his company’s progress on lower cost processing of carbon fiber reinforced resins (CFRR).