At the Frankfurt Motor Show, the German automotive HMI specialist BHTC has unveiled a new, immersive in-car center information display (CID). The display combines full look-around 3D content with mid-air haptics – collectively dubbed ‘simulated reality’. The glasses-free, switchable 2D/3D lens technology has been developed by Veldhoven’s Dimenco. UK-based Ultrahaptics’ haptic technology makes it possible to touch the 3D visuals or controls in mid-air.
The 12.3-inch CID uses the latest display technology with a lenticular array for horizontal parallax. Its depth of field means drivers will be made aware of important visual information faster, improving the overall experience for who’s behind the wheel. Alerts visually jump out of the display and are much clearer and harder to overlook compared to the current in-car head-up displays, adding an extra dimension of safety.
Maarten Tobias, CEO at Dimenco, says: “Once you’ve driven a vehicle equipped with simulated reality, you immediately ‘get it’. This will delight all drivers as it delivers the first taste of the future of human-vehicle interaction. Creating an experience that’s close to the real world by using no wearables, that’s how we envision simulated reality. The joint effort by BHTC, Dimenco and Ultrahaptics is a great first showcase in the automotive sector.”