What began as simple and functional is now an immersive technological experience: 120 years ago, we were one of the first companies to bring a speedometer on to the market. Back then, this innovative instrument did just one thing. It showed drivers how fast they were going. But just a few years after this pioneering device went into production, more instruments followed: rev counters, fuel gauges and clocks. Even in those days, the goal was to provide drivers with all essential vehicle and driving data at a glance.

But this variety of information was just the beginning. In the 1920s, we developed our first instrument cluster, grouping multiple instruments together for the first time. From 1950 onward, electrical signals replaced mechanical connections – and with that came the first electric speedometer. In 1986, we launched our first digital instrument cluster, a revolutionary design at the time, installed in the VW Golf GTI. This product marked the beginning of a new era of interconnectivity.

Today, we are one of the world’s leading providers of automotive display solutions, head-up displays and digital clusters – all designed with user experience in mind. Our innovative products communicate and interact with the driver. They provide important information, can be personalized and are easy to use. Our solutions improve safety, guide you to your destination and let you adjust the temperature to your liking. Entertainment features are also becoming increasingly important – our display solutions, for example, also serve as the control center for in-car music streaming and more. Over the past 120 years, we have transformed our displays into digital hubs for information and entertainment – and we are constantly working to make this in-car experience even better.

The importance of the vehicle interior today is clear from our latest mobility study: the 5,000 motorists surveyed in Germany, France, Japan, China and the USA consistently prefer larger displays. When it comes to design and features, however, preferences vary. In the USA, drivers tend to prefer vibrant, colorful display content, while users in other countries lean toward a more understated look. In China, two-thirds of respondents want a wide range of technical features, while in Germany, France and especially Japan, a majority would rather have a smaller selection. Voice control is also more popular in Japan and China, where many drivers would rather speak to their cockpit – whereas people elsewhere prefer to touch their displays.
 

This diversity of needs is also reflected in our product portfolio. Our displays unite the desire for comfort, safety and personalization. We develop innovative technologies that adapt to the preferences of our customers and users, transforming the vehicle into a living room on wheels.

In addition to technical innovations and new display formats, the emotional aspect is also becoming increasingly important for drivers when buying a new vehicle. Our Emotional Cockpit addresses this demand with its innovative concept that combines various display technologies. These offer countless ways to personalize the cockpit.

OLED displays are found in the latest smartphones and TVs. Now we are bringing this advanced technology to the automotive world. In fact, we are pioneers in the large-scale production of innovative OLED display solutions – a technology that offers even more vivid images thanks to brilliant picture quality and outstanding contrast values. Our multi-display solution, which combines two screens behind a curved glass surface, is already featured in the latest Audi models, the A5 e-tron and A6 e-tron as well as in the Audi A5, Q5 and A6.

Who is behind the wheel? Our Driver Identification Display can tell, thanks to its invisibly integrated camera and innovative algorithm. This contactless driver authentication system offers a number of advantages. It lets drivers personalize the settings according to their preferences, creating a unique vehicle environment. In addition, it offers a range of practical features, such as mobile payment for refueling or parking. The technology also constantly monitors how alert the driver is and responds if they show signs of fatigue.

Our Invisible Biometrics Sensing Display keeps an eye on the driver’s vital signs at all times. The innovative technology uses a camera and laser projector to capture the occupants’ vital data for a variety of features that enhance safety and comfort during the journey. A special feature is that the camera is invisibly integrated behind the display, allowing it to blend unobtrusively into the vehicle interior. Furthermore, the technology includes extensive driver monitoring features such as fatigue and distraction detection. 

Our Crystal Center Display is the world’s first automotive display to be fully embedded in real crystal. Developed in collaboration with Swarovski Mobility, this innovative product features a frameless, semi-transparent 10-inch screen that combines premium materials with razor-sharp image clarity for a luxurious yet minimalist interior. The next-generation microLED panel is suspended in an artfully crafted crystal body, creating the illusion that the content is floating.

Our Window Projection technology turns the vehicle’s rear side windows into display surfaces. This innovation projects personalized content directly onto the rear side windows, making it visible from outside the vehicle. This content can range from important information like the charging status of an electric vehicle to something more personal or emotional like the logo of a favorite sports team or the name of a favorite band on the way to a stadium or concert.

Our In2visible Displays only appear when the user needs them – for example via touch – and otherwise blend in seamlessly and elegantly with the surface. This creates a minimalist, sleek design that minimizes distractions while always being ready to provide the people in the car with the information they want.

Our 129-centimeter Curved Ultrawide Display stretches across the entire cockpit. It offers an expansive, seamless experience, combining the functionality of three displays into one – turning the interior into a living room on wheels. The front passenger can enjoy their own content, while the In2visible control panel ensures that unnecessary content disappears.

How can displays entertain passengers without distracting the driver? Our Privacy Displays achieve this balancing act by directing the light from the screen so that content – like videos – is only visible from the passenger seat. Drivers cannot see what is on the screen, helping them stay fully focused on the road.

Quickly grasping key information in 3D – our Natural 3D Displays make this possible. This innovative solution is based on a special lens technology featuring head position tracking, which, combined with dedicated rendering software, creates a natural, high-resolution 3D experience. 

Thanks to the wealth of expertise we have built up over 120 years, we understand what makes drivers feel at home behind the wheel – today and in the future. That is why user experience is such an important factor when it comes to choosing a car. And we are helping to shape that future. With our experience and clear focus on current and future technologies, we are developing solutions that make driving safer, more comfortable, more convenient and more enjoyable.

Three questions for Christian Schenkewitz, Product Manager Digital Cluster

Mr. Schenkewitz, modern displays are taking up more and more space in vehicles. At the same time, drivers are not allowed to look at their smartphones while driving. Why don’t larger displays pose a safety risk?

Schenkewitz: Using a smartphone isn’t the same as using an automotive display solution. With a smartphone, you can’t predict what content the person behind the wheel consumes or how they interact with the device. By contrast, the display solutions like the ones we develop and produce provide drivers with the relevant information they need at any given moment to drive safely and enjoy the journey. On top of that, innovative features such as our Invisible Biometrics Sensing Display enhance safety by continuously monitoring passengers’ vital signs. Another example is our Haptic Feedback Display, where drivers can directly feel whether they’ve pressed the right button on the touchscreen, so they don’t have to take their eyes off the road. 

How closely linked are driving safety and driving experience?

Schenkewitz: Very closely. By law, vehicles are required to display certain information. The amount of this mandatory information has increased almost fivefold since the 1970s. Today’s digital display solutions are designed to show important and relevant information instantly – for instance, if the tire pressure is too low. Visual cues also help the driver quickly understand what’s going on. So the display indirectly assists in communicating with the driver and helps to convey important information in an understandable way.

How does Continental test its display technologies?

Schenkewitz: We test our products and solutions according to the automotive industry’s clearly defined quality standards. These differ significantly from those in consumer electronics solutions because of things like the longer service life and extended temperature range. But we also conduct qualitative user research and have proven expertise in ergonomics, which allows us to develop our displays in such a way that they provide users with the best possible experience while driving. The display software usually comes from the automotive manufacturer. We provide the hardware and extensive expertise in system integration – including the processing power delivered by our high-performance computers. With our 120 years of experience, we know exactly how to keep improving the in-car user experience.