Now Continental has developed an innovative display that allows vehicle information to be shown dynamically, either in a private mode or visible to all. With the new display technology, known as the Switchable Privacy Display, the technology company enables the front passenger to use multimedia content such as videos or the infotainment system without distracting the driver from the road traffic. If required and if the traffic situation permits, all vehicle occupants can optionally access this content by switching over.
Conventional displays, which have so far been offered primarily for front-seat passengers, do not allow flexible switching to private mode. “Modern vehicles are increasingly becoming smartphones on wheels for drivers and passengers. Driver distraction is still one of the main causes of traffic accidents. With our new display solution, we are therefore aiming for a digital experience with as little distraction as possible,” says Philipp von Hirschheydt, head of the User Experience business unit at Continental. “The user experience is becoming an elementary differentiator and gamechanger in tomorrow’s mobility. Crucial to this is that we also make new infotainment options available to the front passenger.”
Switchable light distribution makes content invisible at the touch of a button
Privacy functions have been used for some time, for example on laptop displays, but until now they were not suitable for use in automobiles. With the private mode, the user prevents content from being viewed by people in his or her immediate environment, such as the person sitting next to him or her on the train.
In developing the new display technology, Continental has succeeded for the first time in implementing the technology for the special requirements in vehicles and in focusing the light in privacy mode in such a way that less than one percent of light radiation reaches the driver. This means that the driver’s attention is not impaired. At the same time, the display produces a high-quality image. By activating or deactivating the privacy function, the display makes content visible only to the front passenger or to all passengers.
“Thanks to our expertise in backlighting and plastics technology, our Switchable Privacy Display uses, among other things, numerous key components that we developed and also manufacture ourselves. This enables us to meet the highest quality demands from both vehicle manufacturers and users in terms of contrast, luminance and image homogeneity. In addition, we will also further increase energy efficiency by the time of market launch, making the technology even more sustainable.”
- Kai Hohmann, Product Manager for Display Solutions
