Fiat Debuts Display Screen IP in 500 Minicar

Fiat SpA will switch to a 7-inch-tall thin-film transistor display in place of the usual speedometer and other gauges in its lineup of 2015 model 500 minicars.

The system will be standard in Abarth, Lounge, Sport and Turbo models and optional in the base Pop. Fiat will publicly introduce the display next week at the New York auto show.

The TFT screen's default display shows an image of the vehicle surrounded by such information as speed, fuel level, range and miles traveled. The driver can select telephone and radio screens that show call information and station selected, respectively.

In sport mode, the display changes to a more "aggressive" appearance, according to Fiat. For cars equipped with a backup camera, the screen becomes a rear-looking video display when the car's transmission is in reverse gear.