LCD Application for Automotive Use

Liquid Crystal Displays have many advantages for automotive usage. Because of these advantages, LCD's should increase in popularity with the automotive manufacturers. There still remains some areas of improvement to increase its usage. Some operating characteristics which need improvement for increased automotive applications are:

1. 1.
   Improved legibility
2. 2.
   Wider operating temperature range
3. 3.
   Higher display density and multifunction display

To respond to these requirements with no significant compromise of other characteristics, we have made the following design changes:

1. A.
   Improved legibility by printing color filters on the polarizer rather than using a separate color film for color display and the use of an interior filter to reduce background transmission and viewing angle dependence.
2. B.
   Widening of the nematic range of the LC material to improve low temperature response time and reduce temperature dependence of threshold voltage, thus increasing the operating temperature range.
3. C.
   Using a combination of touch switches and LCD panels to achieve a multi-function display.
4. D.
   Using a multiplex drive to increase displayed information density.

This paper will attempt to introduce these techniques and describe guidelines for improved performance.