Reflection Characteristics of Automobile Interior Materials

Automobile interior surface reflections and gloss have presented problems for users and manufacturers alike. Eye-fatiguing glare and windshield reflections can range from minor irritations to major safety concerns. Matching various interior components produced by different organizations can also produce problems.

This paper describes gloss/reflection measurements of samples of materials commonly used by manufacturers. Natural environment and laboratory measurements are performed and their results compared.

The measurement results show that the geometric composition of grain can affect both the amplitude and directionality of the reflection and that current measurement techniques may be inadequate.