Sharp Corporation has successfully developed a new 8-inch LCD with 500 cd/m2 luminance for in-vehicle applications that achieves a contrast ratio of 2500:1, the industries highest. Till now, the market for LCDs for in-vehicle applications has been expanding centered mainly on rear-seat entertainment (RSE) systems to watch television, DVDs, etc., in the back seat, and car navigation systems. Recently, the trend to incorporate LCDs into the instrument panel has also been accelerating. These LCDs are intended to display read-outs from gauges such as the speedometer, as well as simultaneously display images that enlarge the driver's field of vision and provide visual guidance and safety warnings via connections with cameras and various sensors mounted on the vehicle. In this light, Sharp has successfully developed an LCD that features a contrast ratio of 2500:1, the industries highest, while maintaining the high reliability and durability demanded by in-vehicle applications.

Incorporating this LCD into the dashboard will enable improved readability, and the unprecedented deep, rich blacks of the display will make it possible to design high-end instrument panels in which the LCD integrates well into black-colored dashboard.