OLED display in cars

OLED is a new display technology - used to create thin, efficient and bright displays and lighting panels. OLEDs can be made flexible, and transparent, and so open the way for new, exciting display applications.

One of the possible markets for OLEDs is cars. 

VW Viseo

Where will OLED be used in future cars?

Even today, we can see several interesting usages for OLED displays/lighting in cars:

• Dashboard displays
• Windshield transparent OLEDs
• Internal lighting
• Extnernal lighting
• Back-window alerts and messaging (as seen on the EDAG prototype)

What's on the market today?

Currently we know of one car model that includes OLED displays - the Lexus 2010 RX. It has a white OLED display, supplementing the main 8" display.

VW has a new hybrid car "concept", the L1. It uses an OLED display (or two, we're not sure yet) in the dashboard. This car will actually be available in 2010, in small quantities.

VW L1 concept car dashboard

CARO (Car-OLED) project

Several German companies are working on a project called CARO (CAR-OLED). The aim of this project is to develop OLEDs specifically for the car industry. Recently they have shown an interesting steering-wheel concept that includes a white OLED. The OLED is so thin that it does not effect the basic design of the wheel, so even the airbag stays the same.

OLED steering wheel prototype

OLED car concepts

There are several car concepts or prototypes that has OLED displays. Perhaps the most interesting one is the open-source light-car by EDAG - which "communicates" with other drivers using a system of OLED lights, is 'covered' with OLED panels (including front/rear lights), and includes customized OLED dashboard.

EDAG light car concept

In April 2009, Hyundai unveiled its new plug-in hybrid concept car, called Blue-Will, which includes transparent OLED displays on the steering column, which is apparently touch-enabled.

Hyundai Blue-Will plug-in hybrid concept

VW showed a design for a future electric car, which is 'covered' by a transparent OLED screen (on glass) that can show information for the driver and passengers.

OLED panels for automobiles

Several companies are working on the OLED panel themselves. One of them is Epson, who showed a beautiful 8" OLED for automobile dashboards. Epson is talking with auto companies to embed this in their cars.

Other companies are working on transparent displays, to use inside the windshield, and flexible ones so they can be used inside the car.