Touch screens are increasingly being seen in vehicles, as consumers become more comfortable with the technology through their mobile devices. According to IHS, the automotive touch panel market is forecast to expand from 28 million units shipped in 2013, to 86 million in 2021.
“Although there are concerns about how direct touch operations could affect safety while driving, automotive touch panels are becoming a standard feature in new vehicles coming to market,” said senior display analyst Shoko Oi.
Content on automotive displays now arrives from a variety of sources, both inside and outside the car. Many applications require touch panels, changing the role of the display. This shift – along with the higher volume and importance of displayed data – is leading to a rising need for easy-to-see designs using larger sizes, irregular or curved shapes and higher resolutions.
There is a shift in the automotive touch market away from resistive touch and towards the more user-friendly capacitive touch. These types are expected to out-ship resistive units next year, despite higher module costs.
