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The size of automotive displays has increased over the past few
years, as has the number of displays in the vehicle. The rapid
growth in display-based instrument clusters; heat, ventilation, and
air-conditioning (HVAC) control displays; digital display mirrors
(both rear and side view); passenger displays; and displays
covering virtually every surface has turned the in-cabin user
experience into an immersive digital experience with a focus on
delivering meaningful information to the driver and entertainment
content to the passenger(s).
Looking only at current production vehicles, and not counting
rear seat technologies, the Porsche Taycan currently leads the
market for cumulative diagonal measured display real estate with a
total of 47 inches, which includes a massive 16.8" curved digital
instrument cluster, dual 10.9" center stack and passenger displays,
and an 8.4" touch panel HVAC display. While Porsche has taken the
approach to create a display-heavy experience through the
deployment of multiple displays, there are several emerging trends
currently evolving in the automotive landscape.
Modernizing the instrument cluster
One of the most common applications of in-cabin displays is the
evolution of the more "traditional" configuration of the cockpit,
represented by a digital instrument cluster and a dedicated center
stack display. For an automotive manufacturer, this strategy is a
cost-efficient way to give the customer a more digital experience
while maintaining a more traditional, and arguably less
distracting, distribution of information for the driver. This
solution is also one that is generally easier to execute as
automakers can replace traditional analog gauge clusters with
digital displays across trim levels of the same model.
Originating in higher-priced models and trim levels, this
display trend is already trickling down to the mid- and
standard-priced vehicles. One example of this in practice is the
Volkswagen (VW) 12.3" Digital Cockpit (instrument cluster display),
currently available across the company's US (and European) model
range, including the Golf, Jetta, Tiguan, Passat, Arteon, and
Atlas. In Europe, an 11.7" version of this display can be found on
models such as the Polo and T-Roc. Between 2020 and 2026, IHS
Markit forecasts that the installation rate of digital instrument
clusters will grow from 11.5 million units to 31.9 million units,
or an increase from 16.5% of the passenger light vehicle market to
34.1%.
Oversized displays (or combined displays)
Merging the real estate occupied by the traditional instrument
cluster and center stack displays into one large display serves to
easily differentiate a brand or nameplate from competitors. In the
premium vehicle market, technological innovation is often an
extremely important factor in the consumer's purchasing decision.
Daimler has been a trailblazer in this area by mounting dual 12.3"
displays under a single piece of glass across the S-Class (2020)
instrument panel, creating the effect of a single, large display.
This display strategy has also made its way into the E-Class for
2021. Taking this approach one step further, electric vehicle (EV)
start-up Byton has developed a massive 48" A-pillar-to-A-pillar
display in its concept car, the M-Byte. The M-Byte's giant 48"
display, along with a 7" steering wheel display and 8" center
console display, could soon outpace the Porsche Taycan with 63
inches of diagonal screen real estate should it make it to
production.
Manufacturers have also taken a different approach when it comes
to the user experience of combined instrument cluster and center
stack displays. Unlike Daimler and the new-to-market Cadillac
Escalade, Tesla has chosen to implement a single,
landscape-oriented display in the midline of the Model 3 and Model
Y vehicles. While this serves to open the line of sight for the
driver in front of the vehicle, it also pulls his/her eyes away
from the road when checking information such as vehicle speed or
advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) feature status. It is
also worth noting that there are substantial cost benefits
associated with this strategy in both display hardware and other
related hardware/software efficiencies.
The growth in automotive displays is not reserved only for
premium segment vehicles. Models such as the 2021 Kia Soul and
Telluride (10.25"), 2021 Toyota Prius (11.6"), 2021 Subaru Outback
and Legacy (11.6"), and 2021 Ford Edge (12.0") have all been
positioned to attract "technology conscious" buyers, luring them
with some of the largest center stack displays in the automotive
market. To put this evolution into perspective, in 2020, 7-8"
center stack displays make up 61% of the automotive central stack
display market. Nine-inch and larger displays account for just over
27% of the market. By 2026, 9" and larger displays, at nearly 34
million units, should account for 41% of the central stack display
market. Over this same time frame, 15" display volume is expected
to triple, reaching 1.5 million units by 2026.
Display immersion
Finally, the role of the battery electric vehicle has often been
at the forefront of the digital transformation in the automotive
cabin. The Porsche Taycan with four displays, the Byton M-Byte with
five displays, and the Audi e-tron with five displays have set the
stage to define what an information-immersive experience will look
like in an era where technology is becoming an ever-present aspect
of all facets of life. From the A-pillar side-view display mirrors
to the emergence of the dedicated passenger display, these vehicles
are used to showcase the pinnacle of what displays are capable of
in the vehicle, especially when cost is less of a factor.
The increased production of displays for all industries is
quickly improving the accessibility for such technologies in more
affordable automotive applications as well. In 2019, Honda
announced the budget-minded, urban mobility-focused Honda e (Image
1). With five displays tethered across the dashboard and a digital
rearview mirror, this vehicle serves as a prime example of display
applications trending throughout a model lineup. As new or
refreshed vehicles are introduced over the coming years, this
increase of in-vehicle display count is expected to follow suit,
often starting with dedicated HVAC displays and digital rearview
mirrors.
Honda e interiors Source: Honda—photo taken by Naoki Kimura, IHS Markit, at a
private event organised by Honda in Japan in September
2020
Conclusion
Regardless of the powertrain technology, the number of pixels in
our vehicles has increased considerably over the past few years and
is expected to continue its upward trend. This is attributed to
both a shift toward larger displays and a significant increase in
the number of displays in the vehicle. Today, displays can be found
across the instrument panel; in the rearview mirror; embedded in
the A-pillars; in the front, rear, and overhead consoles; in front
seatbacks for rear-seat passengers; projected on the windscreen;
and even on the steering wheel. Automotive designers are finding
ways to embed display panels on nearly every interior surface of
the vehicle, and this will surely have profound effects on how
consumers will experience the vehicle of tomorrow.
Posted 13 November 2020 by David Trippany, Associate Director, Automotive Supply Chain and Technology
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