MTA, world-leading supplier of electric and electronic components for the automotive industry, was chosen by the popular Italian car magazine “Quattroruote” to take part in their Summa concept car project. The Italian magazine decided to create a car that will incorporate the requirements put forward by readers over the last few years.
The Summa will be designed by the Milan-based design firm Mid, that chose a group of leading suppliers to source components, material and cutting-edge solutions for the concept car. Packed with feasible, low-cost solutions, the Summa represents the paradigm of innovation designed for everyday use. For digital instruments, project engineers turned to MTA and their Concordia division, that has been designing cutting-edge dashboard solutions for cars, motorcycles and industrial vehicles - such as the futuristic dashboard designed and manufactured for the exclusive Italian supercar Lamborghini Reventon - for years. The solution designed for the Summa project is based on the “virtual cockpit” technology, that uses graphically generated instruments on a screen like that of computer monitor instead of physical instruments. The great advantage to the virtual cockpit over conventional technology is its huge potential in terms of information capacity. The display area can be used to provide information in different manners according to user requirements, operating conditions or vehicle conditions. This translates into improved safety, as displayed information is prioritized based on its significance and enhanced economy, as a greater amount of information on consumption, efficiency and vehicle conditions is made available to user. Dashboard layout, type and size of instruments displayed, as well as colors and other graphic parameters can be modified by editing configuration and customization data via software, without disturbing the physical electronic components, and are user-selectable. The dashboard can interface with other on-board equipment, such as car radio, Internet modem, GPS navigator system, park-assist camera to present the driver with the information from these devices without distracting him/her from the road. Basically, the dashboard acts as a common display terminal for all on-board systems. A 1:4 scale model of the Summa will be exhibited at the Quattroruote stand and illustrated by a presentation video at the oncoming Geneva Motor Show in March.