Uniphy lands £3M to roll out smart surfaces for in-vehicle controls

Leeds-based Uniphy, whose technology could replace car dashboard controls and change how people interact with appliances, has raised £3 million to prepare for mass production. The funding comes from existing investors NPIF II – Mercia Equity Finance, managed by Mercia Ventures under the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II, and Mercia’s own funds.

Founded in 2015 by microelectronics specialists David Lomas and David Dean, Uniphy develops its BeyondTouch® smart-surface technology, which enables integrated user interfaces built into 3D plastic or glass panels.

Uniphy’s smart surfaces allow controls to be embedded into 3D panels of almost any shape, enabling users to locate functions by feel alone. This offers a safer alternative to in-car touchscreens by allowing drivers to keep their eyes on the road and provides a sleeker, more hygienic, and lower-cost option than traditional buttons.

As manufacturers move away from touchscreens toward physical controls, driven by safety concerns in automotive and reliability issues in home appliances, Uniphy’s solution offers a compelling alternative. It works with standard plastic or glass surfaces, can incorporate haptic or voice feedback, uses conventional manufacturing methods to keep costs low, and is highly recyclable. It also functions reliably in the presence of liquids, making it suitable for marine cockpits, hobs, and washing machines.

Jim Nicholas, CEO of Uniphy, explained:

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.

The technology has already been successfully tested by Hyundai and Grupo Antolin, who are now exploring how to integrate it into their vehicles.

The new investment will enable Uniphy to develop its own integrated chip ahead of mass production and to miniaturise the technology for mobile use cases.