OLED is a light-emitting technology used to create thin, efficient and flexible displays and lighting panels. OLEDs are useful in many applications, such as TVs, smartphones, wearables, laptops - and also automotive displays and lighting solutions.
Where can you OLEDs in cars?
There are several possible (and existing!) applications for OLED displays and lighting systems in cars:
- Dashboard displays (instrument clusters, navigation, media, HVAC...)
- Heads up displays
- Internal lighting
- External lighting (tail lights, turn indicators)
- Digital rear-view internal mirrors
- And more application we cannot think about today!
OLED displays for cars today
Several car models already use OLED displays today. Simple PMOLED displays have been adopted by automotive makers for many years, for example the Lexus 2010 RX for example has a white OLED display, supplementing the main 8" display.
Starting in 2021, automotive makers started to also adopt AMOLED displays in premium cars. The 2021 Mercedes S-Class for example comes standard with a 12.8-inch OLED, and the 2021 Cadillac Escalade sports a large 38-inch LGD P-OLED display (made from several displays).
We expect this trend to continue, as OLED makers such as LGD, SDC, BOE and others accelerate automotive AMOLED development.
OLED lighting in cars
The automotive market is one of the most interesting markets for OLED lighting, and many believe this will be one of the first markets to adopt the next generation lighting technology. In 2016 Audi unveiled the 2016 TT RS, which sports optional OLED taillights - the first commercial car to sport the new lighting technology. Since then several models from Audi, BMW, Hongqi, Mercedes and others have adopted OLED lighting panels.
OLED-Info's Automotive OLEDs Market Report
If you're interested in this market, check out our market report on Automotive OLEDs. The report discusses the current OLED display and lighting automotive markets, with a complete list of OLED display and lighting makers that are involved with the automotive market, with personal contact details. Our market report is updated quarterly.
The OLED Automotive Market Report explains:
- What kind of OLED displays are currently adopted in cars
- Why OLED lighting is exciting for car makers
- The future of Automotive OLED display
- OLED concepts and forecasts by BMW, Audi and others
The latest automotive OLED news:
LG Display shows its latest OLED displays at CES 2023
LG Display has an impressive presence at CES 2023, showing many OLED displays, products and prototypes.
The video above starts with LG's automotive displays, which include new 18" slidable OLEDs and some more OLED and LCD displays.
Nio unveil two new EV SUVs, both with 12.8" AMOLED infotainment displays
China-based EV car maker Nio unveiled two new SUVs, the EC7 and ES8 Prime, and both of them have a large 12.8" infotainment AMOLED touch display. The EC7 is a new coupe SUV, while the ES8 Prime is refresh to Nio's existing six-seater SUV.
The two new cars also adopt several new technologies (such as new LIDAR sensors, electrochromatic panoramic glass room and more) and adopt many new aerodynamic improvement to increase the driving range.
UBI Research: medium and large OLED shipments to grow from 26.1 million units in 2022 to almost 70 million in 2027
UBI Research says that shipments of medium and large area OLED panels (which the company defines as 10 inches and up) will reach 26.1 million units in 2022. The market is set for fast growth, and shipments will reach 69.5 million units by 2027.
The main application by revenue will be TV panels, over the whole projected period, and OLED TV panel shipments will reach 14.8 million units in 2027, and generate $9.18 billion in sales.
Yeolight shows new automotive OLED lighting prototypes
Yeolight showed several new OLED lighting taillights designs at the Automotive Lighting Exhibition in Shanghai. In the video below you can see the various prototypes.
Some of these displays seem very impressive, with a large amount of panels. The full-length taillights have 1,434 OLED panels in different shapes and sizes, and support multiple dynamic effects.
Samsung reports its Q3 2022 financial results
Samsung Electronics reported its financial results for Q3 2022, with its highest quarterly revenue ever (76.78 trillion Won, or $54 billion USD) and an operating profit of 10.85 trillion won ($7.7 billion USD), down 23% from the previous quarter.
Samsung Display saw record revenues (9.39 trillion Won) as demand increased for its OLED mobile panel business following the release of new flagship smartphones. The company expects to see continued strong demand for premium OLED displays.
LG Display is considering building a new automotive OLED production line
According to reports in Korea, LG Display is thinking about building a new automotive OLED production line, at its now-closed LCD P4.5 production site in Gumi, Korea.
It is not clear what is LGD's current status with this project, as one reports suggests LGD has already started to order equipment, while another says the design of the new fab is not complete yet, and that LGD did not make a final decision.
Futaba expands its strategic relationship with RiTDisplay for the production of PMOLED displays
Japan-based PMOLED maker Futaba announced that it is entering a business partnership agreement with Taiwan-based PMOLED maker RiTDisplay for the production of OLED displays.
Futaba is already collaborating with RiTDisplay for parts of the PMOLED production process, but now it will expand this project and move the entire PMOLED production process to RiT Display. The two companies will also partner to share technical details and co-develop and market automotive PMOLED displays.
OLEDWorks and Audi demonstrate a new OLED rearlight concept
During the 2022 Light+Building tradeshow, OLEDWorks and Audi demonstrated a new OLED automotive rearlight unit:
The unit is Audi's latest rear model demonstrator of the A6 e-tron concept vehicle. The new concept features a significant increase in the number of OLED segments from what is currently on the road from Audi, and it looks like a beautiful concept.
UBI: OLED emitting material sales will reach $1.81 billion in 2022
UBI Research says that OLED emitting material sales amounted to $412 million in the second quarter of 2022, up 7.8% from last year. Sales decreased about 2.1% from Q1 2022.
UBI says that the sales of OLED panels were seasonably low in the second quarter (compared to Q1), but this was somewhat offset due to favorable exchange rates, and supply of new materials with higher prices.
Samsung Display's CEO confirms plans for a 8-Gen IT OLED production line, to begin operations in 2024
Samsung Display's CEO Choi Joo-sun says that the company sees a great potential for OLED displays in the IT market (mainly notebook and monitor displays), and that Samsung is building a new 8-Gen (2200x2500 mm) production line which will begin production in 2024. The glass efficiency at 8-Gen (uncut glass) will be 20% higher compared to Samsung's 6-Gen lines.
This new fab was already reported last year, but this is the first time we officially hear a commitment from SDC. According to DSCC, there are over 10 8.5-Gen OLED lines under consideration now in the industry, as demand for OLED panels for laptops, tablets and monitors is o the rise. Samsung is the current leader in OLED IT displays.
