What will the driverless car of the future look like? Pgh’s Covestro has an idea

It’s an imagined scenario involving the fully autonomous vehicles being developed by companies like Uber and Google. But teams of material scientists in Pittsburgh have already embarked on an effort to anticipate the experience and style that consumers will want, and the safety and design components that manufacturers will need. The result of this early endeavor could be a factor in whether Robinson-based material science firm Covestro thrives in the coming years and decades as automakers face a wave of technological change. Autonomous technology “is really quite the opportunity for us,” said Paul Platte, a senior marketing manager for Covestro. “Our theme right now is pushing boundaries.”