We talk a lot about building outdoor displays for harsh environments. Usually, that means extreme temperatures, wet weather, dirty air, and heavy public use. However, one report showed us a different kind of durability test. It featured a display hit by car that kept playing content after impact. That real-world example highlights how rugged and resilient BoldVu® displays can be. We build our displays to coast through these environmental hazards. They continue performing effectively for 10 years. Every once in a while, a report reminds us just how rugged and resilient our displays can be.
Recently in London, just a few blocks from Buckingham Palace, a driver lost control of their vehicle. The vehicle plowed over one of the many bus shelters dotting the city sidewalks. That bus shelter included one of our 72-inch BoldVu® LCD displays. The crash knocked over the bus shelter and the display. Still, the BoldVu® display kept playing content without trouble. Of course our monitoring center received an immediate report of the incident as the display called home with the simple message, “ouch”.
The display came out of the accident with hardly a scratch and dutifully resumed its responsibilities in a new home. Sadly, the poor bus shelter did not fare as well.
That kind of real-world impact is hard to duplicate in a lab. A display hit by car creates sudden force, vibration, and cabinet stress that go far beyond normal outdoor exposure. Even so, the BoldVu® unit continued to run. We built its enclosure, glass, electronics, and thermal system as one complete outdoor platform. For property owners, cities, and transit operators, that durability matters. When displays sit in busy public spaces, they need to survive more than weather. They need to keep working when the unexpected shows up without creating another maintenance emergency.