Canatu announced a development cooperation with Continental during the Automotive Interiors Expo, Stuttgart, Germany.
 
Canatu and Continental have been working for a completely new type of transparent, 3D touch surfaces in automotive interiors, resulting the world’s first touchscreen featuring a 3D touch surface. The transparent 3D shapes have been enabled by thin and conductive Canatu CNB films and sensors.
 
The concept information display can be operated instinctively by using a 3D-formed touch surface. This seamless 3D surface was selected as one of CES 2018 Best of Innovation Awards Honoree in the “In-Vehicle Audio/Video” category in January 2018 at Consumer Electronic Show, Las Vegas. It was also awarded in May 2018 in Los Angeles with the Display Component of the Year 2018 Award of the Society for Information Display (SID).
 
The future’s HMI will change the driver and passenger experiences totally. With cars becoming increasingly connected, there are also a growing number of touch displays in every vehicle enabling touch and voice interaction.
 
“We should not forget safety issues with increased UI functionalities,” said Juha Kokkonen, Canatu CEO. “The tactile sensing of our 3D shaped surfaces, such as buttons, sliders and switches – integrated to displays – decrease driver distraction, that is, the driver can use the controls effortlessly, while keeping his focus on driving. Meanwhile interiors are stylish and functional.”
 
This also inspired Continental to create the concept of its center information display with a 3D touch surface.
 
“The innovative Canatu material gave us new degrees of freedom in cockpit design. It also supports blind operability through physical finger guides and therefore enhances the user experience,” said Kai Hohmann, product manager display solutions, Continental Business Unit Instrumentation and Driver HMI.