Continental AG's New Display System Does Double Duty

Continental AG is introducing an in-car “infotainment” system that lets a driver look at one image and a front-seat passenger look at another — on the same screen, at the same time and without either person seeing what the other is viewing.

That way, the driver can see driving-related information, such as a navigation map, on the full screen while the passenger enjoys a DVD movie or other video entertainment that is blocked from the driver's field of vision.

The screen, located on the center stack above a vehicle's console, shows the different images based on the viewing angle of the two vehicle occupants, says Frank Homann, Continental vice president-North American interior electronics solution group.

The dual-mode display addresses driver-distraction safety issues and laws in eight states that prohibit driver-oriented video entertainment systems on the grounds that movie-watching motorists are accidents in the works.

The system currently is available on Toyota LS 460 cars in Japan.

Continental will introduce it in Europe next year and North America in 2010. Homann declines to say which car it will be in here, but Chrysler LLC hints it may be a Chrysler 300 sedan.