The use of nanomaterials is allowing for new concepts and designs in automotive display applications.
A major trend in automotive interiors is increasing smart connectivity, safety, adapatability and interaction via the integration of touch-based automotive human machine interfaces (HMI’s) and displays, that feature in, for example, Tesla S models. User demand for seamless touchscreen and haptic technologies in automobiles has increased significantly in the last two years, but current designs have inherent limitations.
Figure 1: The Tesla S’s touchscreen interface.
Credit: Tesla.
The use of HMI and display systems are designed to greatly reduce driver tasks and improve response via feedback/user interfaces. Despite the Tesla innovation, the 2D design is limited in terms of aesthetic integration with the automotive interior, and also poses difficulties for the user. The majority of vehicles use resistive touchscreens which, while reliable and inexpensive, may not perform as well as alternative touchscreen technologies. Traditional touchscreens also impose a significant visual workload demand that has implications for safety in automotive use.
Figure 2: Amtel touch screen interior concept.
Credit: Amtel.
Amtel and a number of other companies have developed concept touchscreen stack sthat fit more naturally into an automotive interior. Seamless, flexible integration in large areas with touch and display components is what the industry is striving towards. The use of haptic touchscreen technologies is deemed neccessary to improve the user experience and reduce perceived task difficulty in automotive applications. Using haptic feedback, users can operate infotainment applications such as navigation, radio, or smartphone functions interactively. Keys displayed on the touch screen have the feel of realistic buttons so that it is often possible for users to find their way around the keyboard without looking while operating the applications. Drivers can keep their eyes on the road for much longer periods, substantially enhancing safety while driving.
Figure 3: Bosch automotive touchscreen with haptic feedback.
Image credit: Bosch.
This trend necessitates the exploitation of advanced technologies for flexible displays, touch screens, sensors and processors. The automotive market therefore potentially represents a significant opportunity area for flexible and printed electronics nanomaterials manufacturers and application developers.
Figure 4: Continental Corporation’s Curved AMOLED Display.
Image credit: Continental Corporation.
A number of companies are developing nano-based products for:
- 3D-formable, non-planar flexible, and curved multi-touch surfaces and displays
- Responsive and colour changing interiors incorporating nanosensors (adjustable interior lighting is a growing trend)
- Electrochromic smart windows (low voltage, customizable environment and colour tunable).
Commercial activities
Finnish company Canatu, founded in 2008 as a spin-off from the Helsinki University of Technology (now Aalto University), has designed flexible, conductive, transparent films for integration into automotive displays. The company shipped their first product to an automotive company in July 2015.
The company manufactures Carbon NanoBud® films and touch sensors that have been integrated into 3D touch displays for automotive interiors. The films can be stretched up to 100% without losing their electrical conductivity. The company recently raised 22 million Euros to further develop its R&D capability and increase production capacity.
Figure 4: Canatu’s CNB™ touch sensor.
Source: Canatu.
Anti-fingerprint nanocoatings for automotive displays
There is a growing demand in the automotive industry for anti-fingerprint coatings due to the aforementioned increasing incorporation of touch panel displays and responsive surfaces in vehicles, and also to improve aesthetics in automotive interiors.
Anti-fingerprint nanocoatings possess a number of benefits including:
- Increase in product life (durability).
- Improving safety (prevents contamination that obscures or inhibits optical performance).
- Incorporation of additional functions such as anti-reflectivity, anti-fogging, anti-scratch, or anti-bacterial.
- Reduce the use of harsh cleaning agents (stay-clean characteristics).
It has been demonstrated that nanocoatings enhance the performance and quality of glass substrates, providing increased functionality and aesthetic value. Anti-fingerprint nanocoatings can be applied on most materials.
Anti-fingerprint nanocoatings are being developed for the automotive industry as fingerprints are unsightly and unwanted in a vehicle interior, and especially in touchscreens.
This need is two-fold as fingerprints not only cloud the user’s view of the display weakening the efficacy of the information being delivered, but also hinder the clarity of the display making distraction free viewing of the display less likely.
Commercial activities
Widescale adoption of anti-fingerprint nanocoatings in automotive touchscreen technology is still at a very early stage. Other functionalities are of greater importance such as brightness, colour saturation, and resolution. However, large Japanese multi-nationals such as Toray, Nissan Chemical Industries Ltd. and Asahi Glass are actively developing anti-fingerprint nanocoatings for touchscreen glass that provides higher surface slip properties, higher fingerprint resistance, and durability.
