Johnson Controls Equips the New Lancia Delta With Door Panels and Lighting

BURSCHEID, Germany - Ambient Lighting: In-Car Well-Being Made Easy

Test reports have made particular mention of the high-end interior of the
Lancia Delta. As one of the world’s leading suppliers of automotive interior
systems, electronics and batteries, Johnson Controls is providing door panels
that are harmoniously integrated into the interior design. Furthermore,
innovative, ambient lighting on the floor console creates a welcoming
environment and adds a luxurious touch.

“After many years of cooperating with Fiat Group Automobiles, we are
delighted to now be able to contribute our products to the Lancia Delta,
too,” said Marzio Raveggi, Vice President and General Manager of the Customer
Business Unit FGA (Fiat Group Automobiles) at Johnson Controls. A high-end
interior and classic design differentiate the Lancia from its sister models.
The new Lancia Delta, launched in the medium segment, continues this
tradition. In preparing for series production of the Lancia Delta, Johnson
Controls’ development expertise was called for. Besides supplying the door
panels, the interior experts also created ambient lighting on the floor
console based on innovative light guide technology.

Series production in just four months

The lighting, which visually highlights the entire area surrounding the
gearshift lever, is based on a tubular light guide made of transparent
polyurethane. This reflects the true color of the LED light sources and
enables custom illumination and a predefined type of light throughout. Other
advantages of the flexible light guide include high chemical and scratch
resistance as well as unproblematic crash behavior. Furthermore, its special
contour ensures easy and reliable mechanical installation. By working
simultaneously on integration and visual design, Johnson Controls was able to
complete development in four months.

One-step production of the door panels

Sophisticated and coordinated processes at Johnson Controls also enabled
comparatively short development times for the Lancia Delta door panels.

The door panels are manufactured by Johnson Controls in its Italian
plant, where injection molding and assembly are set up on a “just in time”
basis, and supplied to Lancia’s Cassino plant. The product consists of three
main components - the carrier, an injection-molded section and a PVC film or
microfiber fabric. The carrier made of polypropylene (PP) contains functional
parts such as fixtures and leads to efficient assembly processes. The
injection-molded section underneath the armrest is also made of PP and can be
installed without tooling - for example without additional surface
treatments. When producing the section above the map pocket, a PVC film or
microfiber fabric is heat-sealed. Despite the blend of materials, this
enables one-step processing. Thermoplastic-bound wood flour is preheated with
PP and pressed onto the back of the surface material. This process eliminates
the need for further jointing operations and thus ensures that tolerance
problems are avoided.

Besides the two types of material for the door panels, the consumer can
also choose between three different colors: blue, beige, and black.

“Our contribution to the Lancia Delta marks yet another milestone in our
now 10-year business relationship with the Fiat Group and is proof of our
ability to react rapidly and flexibly to customer demands,” commented Marzio
Raveggi.

Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) is the global leader that brings ingenuity
to the places where people live, work and travel. By integrating
technologies, products and services, we create smart environments that
redefine the relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of
140,000 employees creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world
through our products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12
million homes and one million commercial buildings. Our commitment to
sustainability drives our environmental stewardship, good corporate
citizenship in our workplaces and communities, and the products and services
we provide to customers. For additional information, please visit
www.johnsoncontrols.com.

Digital photos are available at: www.johnsoncontrols.co.uk.

Further information is available from:

Johnson Controls GmbH
Automotive Experience
Industriestrasse 20-30
51399 Burscheid
Germany

Astrid Schafmeister
Tel: +49-2174-65-3189
Fax: +49-2174-65-3219
E-mail: astrid.schafmeister@jci.com

Ina Longwitz
Tel: +49-2174-65-4343
E-mail: ina.longwitz@jci.com

Source: Johnson Controls GmbH

Further information is available from: Johnson Controls GmbH, Automotive Experience, Industriestrasse 20-30, 51399 Burscheid, Germany; Astrid Schafmeister, Tel: +49-2174-65-3189, Fax: +49-2174-65-3219, E-mail: astrid.schafmeister at jci.com; Ina Longwitz, Tel: +49-2174-65-4343, E-mail: ina.longwitz at jci.com