Continental’s 3D touchscreen for cars wins innovation award at CES 2018

German technology major Continental unveiled the world’s first touchscreen, featuring a 3D surface, that combines a unique visual appearance with a brand-new operating concept at the CES 2018.

The company claims that the innovative 3D touch surface display can be operated instinctively, enhancing the user experience and increasing safety. The technology company was awarded the CES 2018 Best of Innovation Award in the “In-Vehicle Audio/Video” category, the highest awarded honour in its category, for its state-of-the-art design and breakthrough technology.

“Our latest display solution combines three elements: design, safety and user experience. The 3D surface not only allows for exciting design, but it also ensures that drivers can operate the various functions without having to take their eyes off the road,” said Dr. Frank Rabe, head of the Instrumentation and Driver HMI business unit at Continental. “The CES Innovation Awards honour technologies for the very highest standards of design and engineering prowess, so we are absolutely delighted to have received this award.”

Technological creativity for innovative user concept

The company says that there is a growing demand among users for new features and digital content which means that in-vehicle touchscreens are getting bigger and bigger. While conventional screens are ideal for the flexible display of digital information, their shortcomings quickly become apparent when it comes to user-friendliness and design possibilities for vehicle manufacturers. To address this, it has developed a 3D surface for its new touchscreen. The 3D elements allow brand-specific individualisation of the high-quality plastic surface and, at the same time, finger guidance that users can actually feel.

Continental’s haptic feedback technology provides a haptic feedback when touched, which allows drivers to operate the display instinctively without having to take their eyes off the road.

“As human–machine interfaces become ever more complex, the combination of active, haptic feedback and passive feedback from the 3D surface ensures an outstanding user experience and significantly improves operational safety,” explained Rabe.

Haptic feedback 

The new solution enables drivers to use the touch-sensitive 3D elements on the sides of the display like sliders to set frequently used functions such as volume or temperature settings without having to navigate away from the displayed menu. In the center of the display are specific, virtual buttons allowing blind operation of a range of applications, which change depending on the current menu. To prevent the driver from triggering any functions accidentally when interacting with the 3D elements, the touch force is measured (force sensing) before a command is executed.

In addition, haptic feedback tells drivers when they have reached the edge of a screen element as they pass their finger over the screen, which allows them to distinguish between different virtual buttons without having to look at the screen. Haptic feedback is provided in the form of a short and highly precise mechanical pulse that is transferred to the display surface; any mechanized movement of the display is completely invisible to the naked eye.

The 3D Touch Surface Display ensures greater safety and an enhanced user experience.

Continental says to optimise the contrast of the 3D Touch Surface Display, it has employed optically bonded, topographical elements that are up to ten millimeters high, homogeneously tinted and can be modified to fit any display size and shape.