Automotive supplier Continental this week unveiled what it claims is the world's first automotive display screen made with transparent Swarovski crystal.
Debuting at the 2024 CES in Las Vegas, Continental's crystal creation is a 10.0-inch screen with a panel developed in collaboration with Austrian firm Swarovski, which supplies crystal to the auto industry for components such as interior trim and, in some cases, luxury-car headlights, through its Swarovski Mobility division.
Continental infotainment display made of Swarovski Crystal
Images are created using a thin LED panel suspended within the crystal display housing. This allows for a frameless, freestanding screen with the same faceted edges seen on other Swarovski crystal products, while providing greater brightness and better contrast than other technologies, Continental said in a press release.
The crystal is tinted, but still allows the driver and passengers to see straight through the edges of the screen to the dashboard behind it. And it's a true automotive-grade item "that meets the optical and technical challenges of in-vehicle use," Continental claims.
Continental infotainment display made of Swarovski Crystal
Continental and Swarovski did not discuss specific production plans for the crystal display. It's primarily a demonstration of the two companies' research and development prowess, but it would certainly fit in well with a luxury-car interior.
In addition to the crystal display, Continental used CES 2024 to demonstrate a facial-recognition system that could be integrated with automotive infotainment screens. The company also announced progress in its collaboration with Aurora Innovation on self-driving trucks. The companies said they've finalized the hardware design for an SAE Level 4 autonomous-driving system that Continental plans to begin producing in 2027.