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Another crossblog from Engadget, we have an announcement of Sharp developing a 1500:1 contrast ratio LCD panel that will work as a dashboard in upcoming vehicles. Sure, you might be saying, but Mercedes already has a small LCD panel in its S-Class. True, but this is taking things about ten steps further. In fact, it just might make that $5 million heads-up display offer a moot point. The 8-inch panel features an 800 x 480 resolution and can display not only the usual speedometer, tachometer, and idiot lights, but can also show navigational maps and backup cameras images. And did we mention that the 1500:1 contrast ratio is three times better than any competitor

The biggest challenge for this new Sharp panel is that car interiors are much harsher on electronics than a living room. Having to cope with more extreme vibration and heat fluctuations than indoor equipment, the whole LCD was revamped and adapted for road use. No mention of who might be in line to install these in their vehicles just yet, but there will surely be interest with the growing technology needs of drivers combined with a relatively fixed amount of dash space available in cars.

[Source: Sharp via Engadget]