The Carbon E7 purpose-built police car dashboard takes shape

Carbon Motors is building the world's first purpose-built law enforcement patrol vehicle, the Carbon E7, so the announcement earlier this week that it would use L-3 Displays interface equipment in the E7’s On Board Rapid Command Architecture (ORCA) will probably impact most patrol officers at some point in the future. ORCA will replace the laptops that most officers are currently utilizing in their patrol vehicles to send and receive data while on patrol. That's the new Carbon E7 Cockpit pictured.

“Among our main objectives for the Carbon E7 are safety and operational effectiveness,” said Trevor J. Rudderham, exec VP and chief development officer for Carbon Motors. “A key part of achieving this is an integrated Graphical User Interface (GUI) with voice activation for the law enforcement equipment. We wanted to design a system that gives officers the ability to safely and efficiently use their communications devices while on patrol. L-3 has been a leader in the high reliability electronics industry for 30 years and specializes in advanced mobile data computers, displays and video recording solutions for public safety mobile applications. We are very pleased to have them as part of the E7 project.”

Interviews with law enforcement officers from across the country have led Carbon Motors to seek better integrated technology, like L-3’s GUI as well as its voice activation features, to improve officer safety.

“With the Carbon E7, L-3 will leverage its law enforcement systems experience to develop an integrated electronics suite that will enhance the safety and performance of our nation’s law enforcement agencies,” said Bob McGill, president of L-3’s Displays Group. “As a supplier to law enforcement’s current vehicles, our understanding of the officers’ needs and early engagement in the design and development of the E7 will result in an optimized operational environment.”