Is a New Zealand company bringing 3D tech to a car near you?
Three-dimensional dashboard clusters could be the next big thing in motoring, maybe, with a Ford Mustang GT concept set to sport the technology at next month's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas — and it's a New Zealand–based company behind it.
Based in Newmarket in Auckland, PureDepth are a company that specialize in what they call 'Multi Layer Display' or 'MLD' technology, which allows for three-dimensional shapes to be created without the need for the user to sport goofy 3D glasses. It is their work that will feature onboard the Mustang, as they work alongside Dephi Automotive.
Talking to the Detroit Free Press, PureDepth's CEO Darryl Singh has stated that the gadgetry is more than just a pretty neon addition to your dash.
"Normally traditional instrument displays present different images to the left and right eyes. [...] On longer trips drivers can experience headaches, eye strain and sometimes even nausea," said Singh.
“It uses the rear display as a light source and everything that is normally black on the front display see-through, or translucent,” added Dephi Automotive's vice president of advanced engineering Glenn DeVos.
“It’s higher definition and better resolution, so you get crisper text, crisper graphics and a true three dimensional effect.”
PureDepth were founded in 1999, with the company making their biggest gains via the casino, pinball, and slot machine industry — boasting on their website that they are the "dominant" force in the American 3D display casino market, while also making gains in Japan via the nation's 'pachinko' and 'pachislot' parolors.
Delphi officials confirmed to the Detroit Free Press that, while Ford had not committed to integrating the 3D graphics in their production cars, there are some "customer commitments" in the company's future.
This century has seen many new technological marvels enter the automotive market, with several, like the humble GPS or stability control, now commonplace to the point of being essential on even the most basic new commuter cars. Is the 3D dashboard the next tech marvel to swim, or just another sinker?