Continental Debuts World’s First Automotive Display Embedded in Transparent Swarovski Crystal
Continental recently showcased its Crystal Center Display for the first time at the Consumer Electronics Show 2024. In a world-first, the premium automotive display is fully embedded in a stylish crystal housing — opening up completely new possibilities to integrate minimalist luxury into car interiors with its frameless and semi-transparent look.
The unique combination of the automotive display and real crystal was developed in collaboration with Swarovski Mobility.
The 10-inch display is based on the latest microLED technology that enables unprecedented levels of brightness and contrast. The image-generating microLED panel is suspended in an artfully composed crystal body, creating the illusion that the content displayed is floating.
Focal point of the vehicle interior: exquisite design meets state-of-the-art display technology
The three-dimensional crystal form turns heads with its unique facet cut developed in-house by Swarovski Mobility and underlines the elegant appearance of the Crystal Center Display. The eye-catching arrangement of the central information display gives automotive designers exciting new ways to interpret the minimalist aesthetic in luxury car interiors.
The Crystal Center Display, as the key control element, is at the heart of the operating concept and information playback.
Its innovative design blurs the boundaries between technology and intuitive interaction, as the semi-transparent and floating display brings in-car virtual assistance systems to life in a way that has never been seen before. This initiates interaction between humans and vehicles (human-machine interface) at the heart of an emotionalized brand experience.
Technology and design in symbiosis: collaboration with Swarovski Mobility
To bring this unique combination of technology and aesthetics to life, Continental has entered a collaboration with Swarovski Mobility. This will allow the two companies to pool their resources and leverage their expertise into a product that breaks new ground in terms of both design and technology.
Particular focus was placed on the volumetric crystal panel, which features distinctive faceting created using special grinding techniques. The experts at the traditional Austrian company succeeded in conceiving a delicate yet extremely durable crystal housing that meets the optical and technical challenges of in-vehicle use.
The tinted crystal element, striking and transparent, allows the driver and passengers to see right through to the center console behind it. The elegant overall look underscores the unique character and design.
Cutting-edge microLED display technology for remarkable visual performance
A particular challenge faced by the engineers at Continental was to project the display into the tinted crystal panel and merge everything into a seamless unit. This creates the illusion that the content being displayed is floating freely in the crystal. To achieve this, the Crystal Center Display employs advanced microLED technology.
MicroLED displays feature self-illuminating pixels and offer much greater brightness and superior contrast than comparable technologies. With the next-generation screen technology built into the Crystal Center Display, Continental is paving the way for exciting new luxury interior concepts that could define cars of the future.
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