According to the field engineers we interviewed at Eima International 2022, the Exposition of Machinery for Agriculture and Gardening, visibility is the top priority in cabin design for agricultural vehicles.
Ensuring the most visibility while providing adequate data to operators is a real challenge for agricultural machinery makers. While larger and more numerous screens is becoming the new trend of the automotive cockpit, it is not necessarily the answer for off-road vehicles.
In agricultural vehicles, the sitting position of the operators is high but the location of the dashboard is low, which makes it difficult for operators to monitor the data during operation. That’s why some manufacturers decide to add an additional display mounted higher up on the pillar. While the information is at the eye level and easier to grasp, the display itself, in many cases, still blocks the view of field in certain situations.
How about the head-up displays in the automotive industry? The concept of the head-up display works perfectly since it brings the information to the line of sight without sacrificing visibility.
However, the most commonly known HUD solution that we see in cars is based on a projection system and is not suitable for agricultural machines for three reasons.
First, it doesn’t work very well with vertical windshields. The projection system needs a certain angle to be effective, which is hard to find in an agricultural vehicle where the windshields are quite vertical and steep.
Second, the projection unit takes quite a lot of space from the dashboard, typically 7-10 liters. The space in industrial and commercial vehicles is precious and very much needed for either the operator’s comfort or the goods being carried in the case of a delivery truck.
Third, the projected HUD can be fragile. Since off-road vehicles operate in the field, and the terrain is often bumpy, there can be shocks and vibrations, which may cause blurred images and shorten the lifespan of the projection unit.
For those reasons, we want to introduce a new HUD solution powered by the LUMINEQ transparent displays.
How does it work?
LUMINEQ transparent display is emissive. It consists of the display glass, the flexible cable, and a driving board. Vehicle makers can install the display glass on top of the dashboard, or laminate it in glass or polycarbonate as part of the windshield.
This intuitive solution has a few obvious benefits compared to a projected HUD for industrial machinery applications.
First, it works with any windshields. It doesn’t need a specially coated windshield, or a specific angle as a projection system does. It works perfectly on completely vertical windshields and in off-road vehicles.
Second, it’s space-saving. The display is either on top of the dashboard or as part of the windshield. The only space needed from inside the dashboard is the driver board, which takes 0.3 liters of space, 20-30 times less than what a projected HUD requires.
Third, it’s incredibly robust. The displays are inorganic and solid state. No liquid or organic materials means there is nothing to react to environmental conditions like humidity, solar loads, or temperature. It’s shock and vibration resistant, works in a wide temperature range, -60 ~ +100?, and features instant-on regardless of ambient temperature. The non-transparent version of the display technology has been used and validated by military grade applications for more than 30 years and the ruggedness is second to none.
Another benefit is the 360-degree viewing angle. The operator can see the information from anywhere inside the vehicle, and even outside the vehicle.
LUMINEQ transparent displays can be used in any glazed part of the vehicle. It empowers the vehicle makers to convert idle glazing areas into information screens with optional touch capability.
In summary, LUMINEQ transparent displays are helping agricultural and industrial vehicle makers solve an age-old dilemma of how to adequately display information to operators without obstructing critical field-of-view or consuming valuable space. The durable and compact form factor of LUMINEQ displays, combined with its superior transparency makes it the perfect solution for off-road and agricultural machinery.
If you want more information or if you have any questions about this solution, please contact Nijkerk Electronics!
Door: Nijkerk Electronics 
