A composite running board for use with an automotive vehicle. The running board includes a step portion formed by a top deck and an aerodynamic bottom cover. A mounting portion is formed integrally with the step portion and includes a vertical mounting plate and a horizontal mounting plate for attaching the running board to the vehicle. A plurality of support ribs are sandwiched between the top deck and the bottom cover and connected to the mounting portion to provide structural rigidity to the running board.

A component arrangement for a fluid-conducting temperature control system of a vehicle, preferably a battery-electric vehicle, the component arrangement having a housing body made by means of a plastic injection molding process and with at least one formation for receiving and for retaining at least one electrically operated component of the fluid-conducting temperature control system, and further having electrical contact elements connected to each other by means of electrical conductors, the electrical contact elements arranged in the formation for electrically contacting an electrically operable component received in the at least one formation and in at least one further connection position on the housing body, wherein the electrical conductors are integrated with the housing body by being over-molded with the material thereof.

Disclosed herein are a composite material and a method of manufacturing a vehicle interior material using the same. The composite material is manufactured by laminating first and second substrates which each include a felt layer consisting of a natural fiber and a synthetic fiber, a polyolefin film layer, and a thermosetting resin coating layer. Through such a structure, it is possible to implement high stiffness and a reduction in weight, to prevent crushing, occurrence of irregularity, breaking, etc. due to expression of an impregnated resin from front and back surfaces of a conventional material, and to easily attach a bracket and a surface material in a post-treatment process.

An interior part having high mechanical strength while having a stitch pattern penetrating a base-material layer is provided. Furthermore, a method for manufacturing an interior part that improves strength of the base-material layer and enhances sewing compatibility is provided.

The interior part includes a skin layer joined to one surface of a base-material layer. The base-material layer contains reinforcing fibers and a thermoplastic resin binding the reinforcing fibers. A thread sewn between an opposite surface of the base-material layer with respect to the one surface and a design surface of the skin layer forms a stitch pattern provided on the design surface. A sewn area of the base-material layer is thicker than the periphery. The method includes a shaping step of shaping a fiber-reinforced board in which the thermoplastic resin is softened and forming an area to be sewn thicker than the periphery by releasing compression.

An interior part having high mechanical strength while having a stitch pattern penetrating a base-material layer is provided. A manufacturing method that improves strength of the base-material layer and enhances sewing compatability is also provided.

The interior part includes a skin layer joined to a base-material layer. The base-material layer includes reinforcing fibers and a thermoplastic resin. A thread sewn between the base-material layer and a design surface of the skin layer forms a stitch pattern provided on the design surface. A needle hole of the base-material layer is blocked at least at one of an opening on the base-material layer and a hole inside. The method includes shaping a fiber-reinforced board in which the thermoplastic resin is softened, and blocking at least one of the opening of the needle hole and the hole inside.

A multi-part air duct (10) for a motor vehicle has a lower foam part (11), an upper foam part (12), and lateral injection moldings (13, 14). The injection moldings (13, 14) connect the lower foam part (11) to the upper foam part (12) on both sides.

A frame structure for a motor vehicle body includes at least two profile components and a connecting node, which connects the profile components with each other. At least one of the profile components has at least one console which is made of fiber reinforced plastic and on which other components can be fastened or supported.

A motor vehicle hybrid shelf assembly includes a body formed of a metallic panel. Multiple modules attached to the body each molded of a polymeric material. At least one of the modules spans a component relief aperture created in the body. The at least one module spanning the component relief aperture defines a load bearing portion of the body replacing a load bearing capability of a body portion removed to define the component relief aperture. Each of the modules defines a first portion of an enclosure and includes at least one fastener receiving aperture for mechanical attachment of an independently provided second portion.

The disclosure discloses a vehicle interior panel for covering an airbag and a method of fabricating a vehicle interior panel for covering an airbag. The vehicle interior panel includes a substrate with an opening, a chute channel assembly inserted into the opening, a surface skin, and a foam layer disposed between the surface skin and the substrate. The chute channel assembly includes a wall section surrounding a chute channel for the airbag and a cover plate covering the chute channel and closing the opening. The cover plate includes an airbag door, wherein an outer surface of the cover plate is in contact with the foam layer. The outer surface of the cover plate has a rough surface structure, the outer surface having a surface roughness parameter R.sub.a of at least 4 m.

A trim strip arrangement is provided. The trim strip arrangement includes a profiled strip which partially covers a sealing profile and an end portion uniform lighting of a light gap without negatively affecting the external appearance of the trim strip arrangement. Provision is made for an external surface of the end portion to be configured as a visible surface which is optically matched to the external appearance of the adjoining sealing profile, and for an internal surface to be configured at least partially as a reflection surface which has a reflectivity which is increased with respect to the visible surface.