The last time we have seen E Ink e-paper displays getting associated with automobiles was when BMW showcased its iX Flow all-electric SUV that had its exterior done up with self-adhesive e-paper films. The same allowed for the car to change its color dynamically, from black to white and vice versa. Now, as Slash Gear reported, the British sports car brand McLaren seems to have hit upon a novel way to put to use E Ink displays in the cockpit of its sports cars – for advertising purposes.
McLaren is describing the technique as the “two-display system” which replaces the classic sticker ads used for perhaps as long as the particular sports segment has been in existence. The basic application is simple as using an E Ink panel will allow for content such as the ad insignia or the ad message to be changed any time you want. Credit for developing such a system goes to Seamless Digital which, it claims will save the hazards of manually peeling off the sticker ad when it’s time to replace the same with another.
All of this makes things interesting as this will mark the first time e-paper displays will find application on something rushing at speeds of around 200 miles an hour. The challenge will be to make the e-paper displays perform optimally at such high speeds that might put their durability to the test. It remains to be seen how the display eventually performs with the car zooming along the race track, and how it is going to cope with the vibrations or wind force acting on it, if at all.
McLaren said the E Ink-based branding solution will first see the application on the MCL36 Formula One car while it is used for practicing till the end of the 2022 racing season. Maybe the outcome of it will go into consideration before the technology is used in an actual racing machine. The panel remains flush with the car’s body but will change dynamically based on information such as “DRS, pitstops, fastest lap, or just lap number.” This, as the CEO of Seamless Digital Mark Turner, said will allow for “greater flexibility and value to teams and partners.”
Update: Here is a tip I received from Plastic Logic stating the e-paper display used for displaying ads in the McLaren F1 car is in reality a Plastic Logic display. Apart from the car, the e-paper display has also been used in the helmet as well, making it perhaps the first time that e-paper display has seen such innovative application ever.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
