Continental has used CES to introduce their “Emotional Cockpit,” which hints at the future of automotive interior design. While it incorporates a handful of developments, one of the coolest is an E Ink Prism display that spans the entire width of the dashboard.

Although E Ink displays have generally been confined to e-readers, Continental’s innovative concept features a screen that spans 4.2 feet (1.3 meters) in length and stands 1.6 inches tall (4 cm). This design seamlessly substitutes conventional dashboard trim with a comprehensive display that stretches across the entire width.

Although pillar-to-pillar displays have been around for some time, this particular screen emphasizes design and customization. Customers have the opportunity to select from a variety of designs that showcase their individual styles and preferences.

Like most e-readers, the display is limited to showing black and gray. Continental says this results in a “striking, minimalist aesthetic in an otherwise colorful world.” However, in the future, color E Ink displays are possible.

Although E Ink technology has its drawbacks, it also offers notable benefits, particularly for application in electric vehicles. According to the company, the displays require energy only for a short period during the transition between images. Consequently, the information displayed remains visible even while the vehicle is parked or turned off. Furthermore, Continental highlighted that these screens “reflect light similar to actual paper,” eliminating the need for backlighting typically required by standard displays.

The concept is intriguing and is likely to resonate with younger audiences. According to Pavel Prouza from Continental, “Generation Z exemplifies a fresh wave of consumers eager to convey their uniqueness and highlight their personalities, particularly via digital platforms. With our ‘Emotional Cockpit’ and the integration of energy-efficient e-reader technology, we are providing cutting-edge solutions to customize the vehicle's cockpit in response to evolving customer demands.”

Continental isn’t just limiting E Ink displays to the interior as their Vehicle Experience Demo Car has an exterior screen mounted on the B-pillar. It can show important information such as the current charge level for EVs.