At the 2015 New York International Auto Show, we noticed technological advancements beginning to appear in mainstream models. Here's our look at the democratization of the LCD display screen.

If any technology has scaled and proliferated in the past decade, it's the LCD screen. Cost-effective LCD panels have drastically reduced the price and increased the presence of smartphones, flat-screen televisions and tablet PCs.

The days of the calculator-style, seven-segment LCD seem to be numbered, and its death knell may be the Scion iA. Available in only one trim level at one non-negotiable price, Scion's version of the Mazda2 sedan comes standard with an immediately noticeable interior centerpiece: a seven-inch LCD screen. Display Audio, as the system is called, is a high-resolution panel capable of displaying intricate graphics, making it possible to integrate smartphone streaming audio apps such as Pandora and Stitcher. The versatile screen also serves as a natural monitor for a standard rearview camera.

Dealers will sell add-on navigation software that, again, is only made possible by the included display. High-quality LCD panels have rarely been seen at this price point before, and their universal inclusion in every iA serves as a challenge for other marques to match. 

Auto World News is on the ground and covering the 2015 New York International Auto Show. Stay with us this throughout the show for up-to-the-minute coverage of all the action in New York City, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. 

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