Shift Magazine - April 2020 - 15

A DEEPER LOOK
Marelli tech offers 3D
without the glasses
BY MARCUS AMICK

T

he glasses-free 3D display technology from global auto supplier
Marelli could potentially be one of
the most innovative advancements in
automotive interior features to debut over
the past decade.
It's a culmination of more than two
years of development and significantly
enhances the perception, quality and
overall usability of automotive digital
displays by providing the driver with a
greater degree of perceived depth.
For example, with 3D, parking cameras are capable of depicting images
in a more immersive context than the
typical digital displays, providing the
driver with a more accurate sense of
the space. During navigation, the depth
perception of the 3D digital display provides the driver with a clearer vision
of when and where to turn by virtually

immersing the driver in the surrounding
environment.
One of the key elements of Marelli's
system is its auto-stereoscopic 3D screen
technology, developed specifically for the
automotive sector, in partnership with
Alioscopy, a Paris-based company whose
proprietary 3D display technology is used
in a variety of applications.
Unlike a more traditional 3D application, consisting of two separate images
that appear to be a single 3D image
when viewed through special glasses,
the auto-stereoscopic display enables a
viewer to perceive that third dimension
with the naked eye.
The auto-stereoscopic 3D screen used
by Marelli incorporates a lenticular lens
laminated on a standard display, resulting
in an application that is thinner and up
to 50 percent less expensive than competing systems, which typically use multiple displays to achieve true 3D depth
perception.
A lenticular lens, as described by Marelli,
is an array of magnifying lenses, designed
to enlarge different images when viewed

from slightly different angles.
The Marelli technology could prove to
be an even bigger asset to the industry
down the road, as the adoption of autonomous vehicles grows and paves the way
for the application of more immersive infotainment experiences for passengers. ■

emission technology for heavy-duty
vehicles since at least 2009, when the
company, then called ArvinMeritor,
launched its first hybrid drivetrain system
specifically designed for line haul trucks.
Today, Meritor is testing the ePowertrain
system on a few dozen vehicles and is
talking with major commercial-vehicle
companies to put more miles on the test
components. Production is scheduled to
start in the second quarter of 2021 with
1,200 units a year, ramping up to 10,000
systems annually by 2025. ■

april 2020 * shift

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