Software-Defined Vehicle Magazine – April / May 2025

The software-defined vehicle (SDV) concept brings with it an opportunity to reassess how drivers interact with and experience their vehicle. The dashboard presents one of the ripest areas for innovation, as most interaction with in-vehicle software happens through touchscreens and displays. To differentiate their software offerings, automakers and suppliers will need innovative new ideas and solutions.

In January 2025, Continental revealed its own twist on the automotive dashboard, the “Emotional Cockpit”. Prioritising style and customisation, the automotive supplier collaborated with display technology company E Ink to create a distinct visual language for the dashboard. E Ink is best known for the low-power Prism ePaper displays commonly used in tablets and e-readers to simulate the experience of reading a print book. So, why might the integration of Prism ePaper matter in the context of SDVs, and what unique software possibilities could it enable? 

A personalised dashboard 

“We see the E Ink displays as a new medium, where customers can consume totally new content and experiences,” explains Jochen Möller, Senior Expert in User Experience and Interaction Design at Continental. “Both software as a service and software as a product are parts of the ecosystem we envision.” The novel application of Prism ePaper in the dashboard space is primarily intended to enhance the vehicle interior visually and enable deeper customisation opportunities. 

Continental is leveraging E Ink’s Prism ePaper display technology

“With the use of this display technology and our own smart software, we can create decorative elements that we call ‘dynamic trim parts,” adds Kai Hohmann, Principal Expert in Automotive Displays at Continental. These can range from simple patterns to user-customised images—for example, integrating photos of the owner’s choosing. Traditionally, Prism ePaper devices have been restricted to black and white at the hardware level. A significant portion of the customisation options for the Emotional Cockpit design will be oriented around this ‘classic’ aesthetic, but it is not prescriptive. The company uses a more modern version of ePaper technology that offers colour. 

Through Continental’s own software platform, these decorative elements can not only be tweaked according to the customer’s own preferences but also dynamically switch appearance to match the driver’s mood or other aspects of the driving experience. For instance, the colour palette can be adjusted from cold to warm depending on the driver’s speed. Möller emphasises: “This is why we’re running with the Emotional Cockpit concept. We want to explore emotions through the dashboard—what arouses them, and how do we evoke them?” 

Unique offerings and limitations 

In addition to customisation options, Continental’s dashboard could open a range of new software possibilities that are augmented by the ePaper concept. One example is eBooks, graphic novels, or other forms of print-based entertainment. While this is technically possible with more traditional LCD displays, readers will typically engage with this type of content in an ePaper form factor. It is also possible to integrate sketching, allowing passengers to use the dashboard as a space to create designs of their own or take quick notes.  

It should be noted that ePaper also has a limitation: its refresh rate. The quality and refresh rate of the technology are inversely related, with a lower refresh rate typically lending itself to better image quality and vice versa. It’s also less responsive: an ePaper display has a response rate of around 40ms at a fixed 60Hz refresh rate, compared to an average of 16ms in typical LCD displays. For critical functions that are handled through a screen—such as drive mode or driver-assist—this is likely too slow. “E Ink displays cannot and will not substitute LCD displays,” says Möller. “Rather, they are an additional tool for creating exciting new use cases.”  

This does not mean some pieces of critical information cannot be translated onto ePaper. For example, it can replace LCD for some key functionalities like widgets that indicate the vehicle’s state of charge or what music is playing on the user’s playlist, as these are relatively static. Monitoring driving speed, on the other hand, is likely impossible with ePaper because it fluctuates too frequently. 

No power required 

While Continental’s Emotional Cockpit concept cannot replace everything the infotainment system handles, it can still help lower the amount of real estate taken up by touchscreens in a car. This brings practical advantages alongside its core aesthetic appeal. “E Ink displays only consume power for a brief moment: when they switch from one image to the next,” says Möller. Given the importance of energy efficiency in electric vehicles, this could prove a crucial differentiating factor for automakers looking to get more range out of the battery. 

If you are able to individualise your car just a bit, it becomes yours

“It also keeps showing the selected content even when the power is turned off,” adds Hohmann. Alongside the lower energy profile, he considers this a key advantage of the E Ink display over incumbent LCD solutions. A driver can, for example, check the battery’s state of charge before turning on the vehicle. This could also be advantageous from an aesthetic perspective, as the user’s preferred dynamic trim parts will remain in place even when the vehicle is off. 

By demonstrating that the e-ink display can create enhanced personalisation opportunities alongside practical benefits, Continental believes it can help better define SDVs in the minds of consumers. “If you are able to individualise your car just a bit, it becomes yours,” concludes Möller. “You feel emotionally attached to an otherwise everyday object. This is what we’re aiming to achieve with the E Ink dashboard.”