Car Information, Communication and Entertainment System - Advances and New Developments

Future driver information systems will consist of a plurality of information components containing the classic instrumentation like instrument cluster, radio and trip computers but also new components like car telephones, navigation systems and TV. This development leads in a first step to a new kind of instrument cluster design, and in a second step to a rather high resolution graphic display, located in the central console region. To use best the display capabilities for all functions and to have an extendable system, the components will be connected by a multiplex wiring system.

In order to reduce drivers distraction, secondary information from the mentioned components concerning safety and navigation information should be displayed near to the primary field of vision of the driver within the instrument cluster using small graphic LCD modules.

Also in the non-visible region of the instrument cluster there will be significant changes in the technology behind the scales. Mechanical pointer drives will disappear continuously and make place to modern pointer drives like miniature stepping motors.