VDO VIEWGATE Brochure

VDO ViewGate – gateway­instrumentation for commercial
and special-purpose vehicles

• Comprehensive display options

• Ergonomic

• Operating options

• Flexible presentation according to preference

www.vdo.com

Multifunctional display

An information center for drivers:
VDO ViewGate

Showing the full range of vehicle functions that modern
commercial vehicle drivers must “keep an eye on”
presents a challenge, because many drivers doesn’t see
a cockpit cluttered with individual instruments as the
ideal solution. Modern electronic systems, such as
navigation and telematics, for example, or Bluetooth
connections, support the driver, but they must be op­erated as well – posing new tasks for bus or truck
drivers.

In this respect, special-purpose vehicles are also de­manding when it comes to instrumentation. Often,
they confront the driver with two tasks simultaneously:
In addition to the fundamental driving job of taking
the vehicle to the site, the driver must also operate the
machine’s hydraulically-controlled equipment either
while driving, upon arrival, or alternate between driving
and working the hydraulics. Depending on the type
of vehicle and its design, that means the driver has
either a combined workplace or two workplaces with­in the cab.

Clear visuals meet increased
performance presentation

As a result, the situation can raise visual complexity at
the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) in the cab. We
have developed a new solution in order to integrate
vari ous data sources and present them on a Thin-Film-

Transistor (TFT) color display because today’s com-

mercial vehicles, heavy equipment, and tractors have
such a wide range of functions. This gateway family
called VDO ViewGate supports many current develop­ment goals for commercial and special-purpose ve­hicles.

As a flexible, modular, scalable system with a gateway
as the central hardware component, VDO ViewGate is
a freely programmable, centralized source of informa­tion for the driver and offers several decisive advan­tages: Great deal of freedom to configure individual
display functions visually provides flexible support even
for vehicles with a high degree of specialization. In
addition, the range of possible display functions goes
far beyond conventional multifunction displays.

The display screen can be dynamically con figured

with just the right indicators to meet the demands of
specific sites (i.e. according to context). The principle
of multiple, variable configuration facilitates using the
VDO ViewGate even in cabs that are generally crowd­ed or where there is no room to install larger technical
systems.

Using active alarms

Combined with a logically designed alarm hierarchy,
the VDO ViewGate can alert the driver to situation­relevant operating conditions: The warning display is
triggered when programmed thresholds are exceeded
or an alarm is activated. This aids the driver, enhancing
driver performance and efficiency and increasing oper­ational safety as well.

HMI technical basics

Seen from a technical point of view, the VDO ViewGate
is a graphics-capable computer controlling and feed­ing data through an 800 x 480 pixel resolution TFT dis­play and a 152.4 x 91.4 mm (7 inch) touchscreen.
For instrumentation of commercial vehicles a refined
mechanical design featuring aluminum housing is a
must. The display is optimally suited to this kind of use
due to its mechanical stability and broad operating
temperature range (– 20 °C to 70 °C) together with a
high-contrast feature and a wide viewing angle.

VDO ViewGate is available in two versions because the
HMI requirements differ depending on vehicle type:
the Highline for commercial vehicles and the Multiline
for construction equipment and agricultural machines.

A display backlight with white LEDs ensures good read­ability even in rapidly changing ambient light. Installa­tion options are flush with the instrument panel or with
a bezel (polycarbonate or ABS) in various colors and
shapes.

Software solutions provide great freedom of presen­tation and the high level of information quality of the
display and offer advantages that are already being
used increasingly in other areas of application, such as
passenger cars.

The VDO ViewGate can process input signals from the

vehicle using manufacturer specific protocols or con­ventional CAN 2.0b protocols as well. This gives driv­ers an opportunity to use VDO ViewGate to display
more than just the essential, conventional data alone.
Navigation information can also be presented on the
display as well. And above and beyond that, mo bile
devices, such as MP3 players can be connected to
the VDO ViewGate to render whatever is on the playlist.
Several USB ports (host and client) plus an SD card
slot are available for this purpose. And the video CVBS
interface makes the attachment of a reversing camera
easy. Digital and analogue inputs are, of course, pre­sent as well.

Highly ergonomic

Thanks to vast flexibility in presentation forms, the VDO

ViewGate enables drivers to choose visual displays
that are particularly well-suited to the corresponding
reference data. This makes the VDO ViewGate a
suitable monitoring instrument for numerous systems,
which in addition to engine functions, can also include
communication and telematic data.

The graphics capability of the VDO ViewGate also offers

wide-ranging possibilities for integrating the display in
a way that is harmonious and consistent with the ap­pearance of the cab interior. On the other hand, when
it comes to what makes ergonomic sense, it is also
possible to use manufacturer-specified color schemes
(colori metry) and designs for the display.

The VDO ViewGate also offers maximum flexibility

when it comes to operation: In addition to the keys, op­erating the ViewGate is also possible via a sensitive
touchscreen. As a modern operational option, the VDO
ViewGate can also be connected to a rotational
actuator. As a result, the HMI can be opti mally tailored
to suit the manufacturer's philosophies of vehicle
operation and indication.

Brilliance behind a screen: VDO’s ViewGate instrumentation

exploits the strengths of TFT-technology.

VDO ViewGate’s graphics capability features the conventional

look of analogue dials as well as graphic display formats.

Examples of changing display options on the same display

screen as situations demand.

Continental Trading GmbH
Kruppstrasse 105
60388 Frankfurt
Germany
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
www.vdo.com
VDO – A Trademark of the Continental Corporation

The inf ormation provide d in th is broch ure cont ains on ly gene ral des criptio ns or p erforma nce cha racteri stics, which do not al ways ap ply as describ ed in c ase of actual
use or w hich ma y change as a res ult of further develop ment of the prod ucts. Th is info rmation is merel y a tech nical d escripti on of t he produc t. This informa tion is not
meant or intended to be a spec ial guarantee for a particular quality or particular durabil ity. An obligation to provide the respective characteristics s hall only exist if expressly
agreed in the terms of contract. We reserve the right to make changes in availability as well as technical changes without prior notice.

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