Modern cars have a major problem that annoys almost every driver. We are forced to look at flat screens to do simple things like changing the air conditioning or radio volume. This takes our eyes off the road and causes accidents. A Leeds-based startup called Uniphy just secured £3M to fix this dangerous trend. Their technology turns standard surfaces into smart 3D controls you can feel without looking.
This investment marks a pivotal moment for automotive safety and design. Uniphy plans to use the fresh capital to build their own computer chips and prepare for mass production. The days of dangerously fumbling with flat touchscreens while driving might finally be coming to an end.
Investment Fueling The Next Auto Revolution
Uniphy has successfully raised £3 million in a fresh funding round. This significant financial boost comes from NPIF II – Mercia Equity Finance which is managed by Mercia Ventures. The funding is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II which aims to boost businesses in the North of England.
The company was founded in 2015 by David Lomas and David Dean. These two microelectronics specialists saw a gap in how humans interact with machines. They realized that as cars became more digital, they actually became harder to use.
Jim Nicholas serves as the CEO of Uniphy and he has a clear vision for the future. He believes the current state of technology frustrates users more than it helps them.
Uniphy BeyondTouch smart surface technology automotive dashboard control
“As humans, we spend much of our lives interacting with machines – on our mobiles, in our cars or our homes – but the limitations of current controls can make it a frustrating experience. Uniphy’s technology offers designers the freedom to create new, more intuitive interfaces and transform the way we engage with machines.” — Jim Nicholas, CEO of Uniphy.
The company will use this money for two main goals. First, they need to develop a custom integrated chip. This chip is the brain of their operation and is necessary before they can sell millions of units. Second, they want to make the technology smaller. Miniaturization will allow their smart surfaces to fit into smaller devices like mobile phones or wearables in the future.
Why Drivers Hate Flat Touchscreens
The automotive industry is currently in a crisis of user experience. For the last decade, car makers replaced physical buttons with massive iPads glued to the dashboard. It looks futuristic in a showroom. It is a nightmare on a bumpy road.
Safety regulators are finally catching up to this danger. Organizations like Euro NCAP are starting to penalize car makers who put essential safety controls solely on touchscreens. Drivers need to feel what they are doing. This helps them keep their eyes on the road.
Uniphy steps in to solve this specific pain point. Their solution combines the flexibility of a digital screen with the safety of a physical button.
Key Advantages of Uniphy Technology:
- Safety First: You can find the buttons by touch alone.
- Design Freedom: Controls can be curved or shaped to fit the car interior.
- Cost Effective: It uses standard manufacturing methods.
- Hygienic: Smooth surfaces are easier to clean than cracks around buttons.
Major industry players are already taking notice. Hyundai and Grupo Antolin have successfully tested Uniphy’s technology. They are currently exploring ways to build these smart surfaces directly into their future vehicles. This validation from giant car manufacturers proves the technology is ready for the real world.
BeyondTouch Innovation Changes The Game
The core of Uniphy’s success lies in their proprietary product called BeyondTouch. Most smart surfaces today are expensive and fragile. Uniphy has taken a different approach.
BeyondTouch allows user interfaces to be built directly into 3D plastic or glass panels. This is not just a flat sheet of glass. It creates “free-form” surfaces. Imagine a door handle that also acts as a volume slider. Picture a curved dashboard where the wood trim itself is the control panel.
The technology works by using advanced algorithms to detect touch and pressure on rigid materials. It does not rely on the capacitive sensors found in your phone screen which often fail when wet.
Why this tech stands out:
- Works with Liquids: Spilling coffee on the console won’t break it.
- Recyclable Materials: It works with standard plastics that are easy to recycle.
- Tactile Feedback: It can be paired with haptics so the surface vibrates when you press it.
This is a massive shift from the current industry standard. Manufacturers have struggled to balance the demand for high-tech interiors with the need for safety. BeyondTouch offers a bridge between the two worlds. It allows the sleek look of a screen but brings back the muscle memory of a button.
From Dashboards To Kitchen Appliances
While the automotive sector is the biggest target, the potential for this technology goes far beyond cars. The frustration with bad controls exists in our homes too.
Modern washing machines and ovens often use cheap touch panels that stop working if your fingers are wet or greasy. Uniphy claims their solution functions reliably even in the presence of liquids. This makes it perfect for marine cockpits in boats or simple kitchen hobs.
The £3M investment also targets the mobile market. By miniaturizing the technology, Uniphy wants to change how we hold and use our phones.
Consider the side of your smartphone. Right now it usually has volume buttons and a power button. With Uniphy technology, the entire frame of the phone could become a touch-sensitive control surface. You could squeeze the phone to answer a call or slide your finger along the edge to scroll through a webpage.
The investors at Mercia Ventures see this wide potential. They are not just betting on a car part. They are betting on a fundamental change in how humans touch computers.
The move back to physical interaction is a growing trend. People are tired of living in a flat, glass world. We crave texture and response. Uniphy provides the tools for designers to bring texture back into our digital lives without sacrificing modern features.
We are witnessing the start of a new era in product design. The funding secured by Uniphy ensures they have the resources to lead this charge. It is a win for British engineering and a win for drivers who just want to change the radio station without crashing.
