Most touch panels for 2017 car models will use capacitive touch technology, IHS report reveals.
The explosion of touch-enabled screens used in smartphones, tablets and other consumer devices, along with improvements in touch technology, are increasing the demand for touchscreen automotive displays used for navigation, entertainment and online services, climate control, energy efficiency tracking and other activities.
According to a recent study by research firm IHS, the CAGR for global automotive touch panel shipments will average 18% through 2018, with revenues forecasted to reach $1.5 billion. This includes shipments of factory-installed automotive touch panel systems, aftermarket applications, dealer installations, as well as service replacements.
IHS notes that though projective-capacitive touch (PCT) technology has been a topic of discussion since 2012, adoption is finally expected to begin in 2015 models, which is leading to the charge for touch-panel shipments. That’s because the role of automotive displays is changing. What was once just a simple way to view information from a navigation system or a car audio system, has evolved into a human-to-machine interface (HMI) for devices of in and out of the vehicle.
Due to improvements in the consumer interface, IHS reveals that most touch panels for 2017 car models will use capacitive touch technology, which is expected to surpass the use of resistive technology over the next two years.
Moving ahead, state-of-the-art cars will surely be equipped with multi-touch capacitive sensors typically found in smartphones and tablets, along with capacitive buttons to create a modern look and intuitive use — all of which will be made possible through Atmel’s comprehensive platforms and solutions for in-vehicle HMIs.
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