Smart tech systems at the core of vehicles
Your car is more than parts – it's intelligent technology. Every action – settling in, feeling safe, staying connected – involves interconnected components. These systems combine hardware and software for comfort and performance on every journey. Discover 8 key systems, their purpose, how they work, and the technologies behind them.
Electrification and energy management
Power management
Electric vehicles depend on a steady and stable source of electricity to move – but also to run the many systems that enable infotainment, driver assistance, and more. By optimizing battery charging and controlling both the power received and delivered, power management systems provide cars with the energy they rely on.
Electrical/Electronic Architecture
In a vehicle, each major functionality — or “domain” — has traditionally been managed by a dedicated chip, with its own power supply and data transmission network. Today, this domain-based architecture is increasingly evolving into a “zonal” architecture, where controllers manage all functions located within a specific physical area of the vehicle. This shift simplifies the overall system design and, more importantly, significantly reduces wiring — a key advantage in modern, service-oriented vehicles that are growing ever more complex.
Hydrogen storage systems
At FORVIA, we believe hydrogen is a key pillar of decarbonized mobility. That’s why we provide not only advanced storage solutions for hydrogen-powered vehicles, but also containerized systems for safe and efficient hydrogen transport and distribution.
Safe and automated driving
ADAS
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are a set of safety technologies that use sensors like radars, lidar, and cameras to enhance driving decisions and road safety. They process real-time data, detect obstacles, and alert drivers to potential risks. AI-powered video analysis improves hazard detection, while parking assistance solutions enable precise low-speed maneuvers. Together, these systems make driving safer and more efficient.
Lighting
Automotive lighting has evolved beyond the basic function of seeing and being seen. Today, it plays a central role in safety, communication, and design.
Modern lighting systems integrate intelligent features that adapt in real time to driving conditions, often working in coordination with sensors and other driver assistance technologies. These systems increasingly benefit from FORVIA HELLA’s technological advances in miniaturization, including the development of ultra-slim micro-optics that deliver high precision and enable greater design flexibility—without compromising performance.
FORVIA HELLA develops and produces a full range of automotive lighting—front and rear lamps, body lighting, and interior solutions—all designed with energy efficiency as a guiding principle.
Cockpit passenger protection
Maximum safety is now the minimum expected. In a vehicle, safety relies on a multi-layered system that brings together intelligent software, electronic sensors, and advanced mechanical engineering. These active and passive technologies work at every level to minimize the risk of accidents—and to reduce their severity when a collision is unavoidable.
Digital and sustainable cockpit expriences
Digital cockpit
Modern car cockpits now integrate a wide range of smart digital features, combining advanced comfort, intuitive interfaces, and immersive entertainment systems. In today’s digital era, the driver environment is being transformed by connectivity, user-centric design, and seamless integration—reshaping the way we interact with our vehicles.
Sustainable cockpit
At FORVIA, we frame everything through the lens of sustainability.
We believe that the modern vehicle interior should offer both a digital and sustainable experience—without compromise.
While our innovations continue to push the boundaries of software and display technologies, we are equally committed to advancing sustainable materials.
To accelerate progress in this field, FORVIA launched MATERI'ACT in 2022—an entity fully dedicated to developing low-carbon, next-generation materials for the automotive industry.
By leveraging AI to maximize both performance and environmental benefits, we aim to provide fully recyclable or bio-sourced materials that match—or exceed—the comfort and tactile quality of traditional options. These solutions contribute to reducing product weight and lowering CO₂ emissions across the lifecycle.
