Back Seat Viewing

Rear-seat entertainment systems could see their take rate increase by 12% in the next five years, says Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas. Joel Pollack, Sharp's display business unit vice president, tells WAW the current take rate is 18% to 20%. But he predicts that total could reach 40% by 2006. “It's very much price-dependent.” Systems with video and gaming capabilities cost about $1,500. Mr. Pollack wants to see them in the $600-to-$800 range, which would boost the take rate. When the market is soft, he says they become an inducement to buy. The latest technology, Advanced TFT for “thin film transistor,” is producing screens with life-like color, and performance actually improves when direct light falls on it. The technology also has a navigation system application.