For its new emblem, the French car manufacturer uses indium. This is not only for aesthetic reasons.
Peugeot has presented its new logo: A two-dimensional lion’s head in a coat of arms will replace the standing lion in future. The upcoming 308 is the first vehicle to bear the emblem on the radiator grille, which comes in two different versions depending on the equipment line. In the Allure and GT versions, an additional feature is hidden behind the lion’s head: a radar that supplies the processors of the driver assistance systems with information. This is made possible by a thin layer of indium, a rare metal with electrical conductivity that is mainly used to control touchscreens. In the form of indium tin oxide, it registers the smallest electrical impulses from fingers or styluses as a transparent coating under the glass display.
For the new logo, indium was chosen because it is the only material that fulfils the technical and visual requirements, writes Peugeot in the press release. The technology metal has a natural chrome look, a high corrosion resistance and – most importantly – it does not interfere with the radar waves of the driver assistance systems.
The equipment lines without assistance systems get a visually identical emblem, but without the indium coating.
Photo: © Peugeot
