MultiViu Compact 7 Continental

A modern display for agricultural vehicles

For drivers or operators of any vehicles it is very important to have the information displayed in a quick, clear and transparent way. This has a big influence on the safe and stress-free driving, as well as on the work comfort, especially in difficult outdoor conditions.

Such conditions undoubtedly prevail in the agricultural sector. As operators of agricultural machines often spend many hours in the hot sun, it is essential for them to have access to all necessary vehicle data without any problems.

MultiViu Compact 7, Continental's new compact solution, meets such expectations.

Flexible and high-quality MultiViu Compact 7 primary instrumentation offers more efficiency and operating convenience while driving and operating the agricultural machinery. Twenty-four indicators offer much more space for important information concerning the vehicle. The display presents all the customer defined information, including speed, RPM and filling level. With MultiViu Compact 7 vehicle manufacturers can display large amount of information for a driver in a correct and comprehensible way.

MultiViu Compact 7 has caught the attention of Linder, an Austrian company specializing in off-road special vehicles for the agricultural sector.

For the cabin of the new Lintrac 130 tractor, engineers from Lindner were searching for a display enabling control of TracLink Smart functions and driving strategies. They also set a number of other conditions.

“Operation had to be easy to understand and help users – whether young farmers or experienced profes- sionals – to react correctly even in stressful or dangerous situations,” explains Manuel Lindner.

Mr. Lindner also noted that it would be ideal if there can be two control options, either via the display itself or via the remote control in the arm rest. It was necessary to provide enough display options for many different operating situations that occur when working in fields or meadows – starting from working with mowers, hay turning machines or hay rakes and ending with baling presses. Tough working conditions in the agriculture sector mean that the machine must have a solid construction. It is equally important that even in strong sunlight, the driver must be able to easily read all the data. That is why the specs also insisted on a particularly bright display. The appearance of the device played an equally important role in the decision making process.

“A harmonious interior concept is becoming ever more important,” explains Marketing Manager David Lindner. As a result, the display had to fit harmoniously in the cab.

In the end, Linder has chosen MultiViu Compact 7 (MVC 7) from Continental – a primary instrumentation with a large 7-inch display and optional touchscreen to present vehicle-related information to the driver. This can act as a second device for menu navigation or – as in Lindner's case – as a compact alternative to the instrument cluster.

“The touchscreen display looks a bit like a modern smartphone. As a result, drivers don't need a long familiarization phase but intuitively get used to the device straight away – just as we wanted,” says David Lindner. Consequently, they can concentrate fully on their work and complete it more efficiently. In this way, the family-owned company is also able to meet the growing requirements in terms of comfort in the driver's cab.

Since the MVC 7 is freely programmable and has CAN connectors, Lindner was able to configure it for use in various grassland management scenarios just as the designers wanted. The so-called “telltales” were particularly useful here. The display is available with up to 24 illuminated side symbols, which provide a lot of space for information. They are also freely configurable and in the Lintrac 130, they provide the driver, among others, with information about the lighting system or the state of the braking equipment. Lindner has implemented the device recognition capability of the TracLink Smart System via one of the two CAN connectors.

Workmanship of the device is also significant. The MVC 7 is made of real glass, which makes it especially scratch-resistant. Water and vibrations also have no effect on it.

“Just perfect for the really tough conditions in which our tractors have to work,” is how David Lindner sums things up. The fact that the MVC 7's glass front and display are bonded reduces reflections. This means that the display remains easy to read even in poor lighting conditions. At 1000:1, the contrast level is also very high. The MVC 7 with its black-panel design makes a great visual impression. When switched off, it displays a uniform black surface and fits well in the cab.

“With this solution, we bring outstanding quality from the automotive sector into a tractor with continuously variable transmission.” said Manuel Lindner.

Production of the Lintrac 130 tractors with MVC 7 Continental started at the beginning of 2020.