Sharper in-vehicle LCDs

Sharp Corporation has announced it has successfully developed an LCD for in-vehicle applications that achieves a contrast ratio of 1500:1, the industry's highest.

The LCDs used in car navigation systems and as monitors for rear-seat entertainment systems need to be more highly resistant to vibration and must function reliably over a broad range of temperatures. Sharp foresees that in-vehicle LCDs will be further developed for use in instrument panels to display important information needed for driving a car.

Sharp has re-engineered various display components, in particular, the colour filter, and revamped the LCD panel's pixel design to achieve the high-contrast display.

This new LCD could be adopted for use in instrument panels to make them easier to read. The same display could give speedometer and other readings when in motion and switch to a map or a video camera image of the area behind the vehicle when stationary or parking.