Aira is the company behind one of the most exciting wireless power innovations, and now this technology could be headed into vehicles. The wireless power company just announced a strategic investment from Motherson, a Tier 1 global auto parts supplier.
Aira’s technology allows companies to build a better wireless charger. Instead of a wireless charger that forces users to use a specific location, Aira’s technology allows users to place their device anywhere on the surface. It’s the magic behind the curtain of Nomad’s Base Station Pro and fulfills the promise of Apple’s canceled AirPower charging station.
“Motherson is one of the world’s largest and most forward-thinking automotive suppliers, and we share a common goal of enhancing the wireless charging experience and value proposition for vehicles,” said Jake Slatnick, Aira’s co-founder and CEO. “Motherson’s expertise and relationships will greatly accelerate our efforts to provide validated and certified wireless charging modules for vehicles worldwide.”
Through this new deal, Motherson and Aira will develop, manufacture, and supply automotive-grade charging modules. What cars will have this technology? At this point, it’s unclear if there are any automakers signed on to integrate these modules into their vehicles.
Air’s solution would be a welcomed upgrade to the charging pads currently found throughout the auto industry. Like their desktop counterparts, the pads found in today’s vehicles require the user to place their device in a specific location. Keeping the device on this pad is even more tricky as the vehicle moves around. Some manufacturers have taken to building clips into their design to keep the phone in place. Aira’s technology would allow for a larger pad and imprecise placement that should be better suited for in-car use.
“Our core mission is to find, support, and deploy the best technology solutions to global automakers and Tier 1 suppliers,” explained Edward Saenz de Viteri, Global Director of Business Development at Motherson Innovations. “We believe that FreePower represents the best-in-class Qi solution for in-vehicle wireless charging. It has already been deployed successfully in consumer devices, and its benefits for automotive are even more compelling. We look forward to making Aira’s free-position technology a global standard for in-vehicle wireless charging.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
