Conti Touts 3-D Instrument Panel, Wide-Angle HUD

Continental AG will use the Frankfurt auto show in September to unveil a new system that combines its large auto-stereoscopic 3-D instrument cluster with a new next generation head-up display (HUD).

Conti's big 12.3-inch screen can be programmed by the user to show everything from conventional round displays to graphical images with spatial depth. Drivers can easily adjust image style, size, color and content, according to the company. The IP debuted in the 2013 Mercedes-Benz S-Class large sedan.

In Frankfurt, Continental will show how the IP can be integrated with a new wide-angle HUD. The latter display uses "digital micro-mirror device" technology to show large, full-color images that put relevant data closer to the driver's line of sight.

Conti says the HUD's broad image area provides more space to display secondary information. It also sets the stage for so-called augmented reality imagery. One example: navigational arrows that take the guesswork out of finding a cross street by appearing to the driver to point directly at the spot ahead where action is needed.