Going "transparent"

German auto supplier Continental AG has already won a 2020 CES Innovation Award for its "Transparent Hood," which relies on cameras and a screen to show drivers exactly what is underneath the front of their cars, rather than a clear material.

The hood uses four cameras and a control unit within Continental"s "surround view" system to display images on a screen from beneath the car.

"The driver can easily see the ground view immediately in front of them, allowing for additional safety and convenience while driving," Continental said in a news release. "This first of its kind technology has the potential to make a major impact on drivers everywhere, especially with reducing vehicle damages while parking."

Continental also will showcase its "holistic" human machine interface, which combines auditory and visual cues for human-machine communication inside and outside an autonomous vehicle. The HMI will provide a number of cues, such as when pedestrians are detected in the path of the CUbE, the supplier"s development shuttle for autonomous technologies.

Waiting passengers can track a shuttle"s location, and the vehicle will display a welcome message when it arrives.

Inside, there is a display with trip and local-services information and notifications. The system also provides sounds that let pedestrians know they are in the vehicle"s path and caution them to move.

Once it stops, the shuttle will notify pedestrians when they can safely cross.

Advanced displays

Van Buren Township,Mich.-based electronics supplier Visteon Corp. is unveiling its microZone advanced display technology. According to Upton Bowden, Visteon director of technology, microZone can drive various types of displays, including those in the instrument cluster and center stack.

MicroZone is a high-contrast and low-power display technology. "Most displays — almost all displays within the automotive environment — have extremely complex environment conditions to deal with," Bowden told Automotive News. "[MicroZone] is a much simpler system to package."

Visteon says this technology also allows for easier over-the-air updates and improved security.

Bosch