Continental launches innovative display with privacy mode

On April 26, Continental developed an innovative display that can dynamically display vehicle information, either in private mode or in public. With this new display technology, the Switchable Privacy Display, the front passenger can use multimedia content, such as videos or infotainment systems, without distracting the driver from road traffic. If necessary and traffic conditions permit, all vehicle passengers can access this content by switching. Conventional displays that are currently used mainly by passengers cannot be flexibly switched to privacy mode.

Image source: Mainland China

Philipp von Hirschheydt, head of the User Experience business area at Continental, said: “Modern cars are increasingly becoming smartphones for drivers and passengers. Driver distraction remains one of the main causes of traffic accidents. With this new display solution, we therefore aim to offer a digital experience with minimal distractions. User experience will revolutionize future mobility and become a fundamental feature. A key benefit of this display is that we also offer new infotainment options for the front passenger.”

Switchable light distribution makes content invisible at the touch of a button

Although privacy functions have long been used in laptop displays, they were not previously suitable for use in the automotive sector. With private mode, users can prevent people nearby from viewing the content. In developing the new display technology, Continental has successfully adapted it to the special requirements of vehicles for the first time and combined it with lighting in privacy mode so that the driver receives less than one percent of the light emission and is therefore not distracting, while the display produces a high-quality image. By switching the privacy function on or off, the display can make the content visible only to the front passenger or to all passengers.

Image source: Mainland China

“With our expertise in backlighting and plastic technology, the switchable privacy display includes a range of key components that Continental develops and manufactures in-house,” said Kai Hohmann, Product Manager for Display Solutions at Continental. “We are therefore able to meet the highest quality requirements of automakers and users in terms of contrast, brightness and image uniformity. In addition, we will continue to improve energy efficiency before it is launched on the market, making the technology even more sustainable.” Continental plans to launch the new switchable privacy display in 2024.