LG Display has a well-deserved reputation for pushing the envelope in terms of OLED innovation, and the company is now focused on bringing the technology to the automotive world. It sees OLED as the basis of the futuristic infotainment systems that it believes will become a fixture in tomorrow’s intelligent cars.
The company’s latest concept was dubbed as the “Mobility Labworks Series Digital cockpit gamma”, and it consisted of a number of intriguing car cockpit displays, as well as a new human-machine-interface technology that uses an AI-based virtual assistant to improve driving convenience and safety.
The Digital cockpit gamma is based on the vision of a future where actually driving the car is no longer a primary requirement. The company showcased a 12.3-inch transparent OLED screen that can transform from a vehicle information provider to an entertainment hub while the car drives itself autonomously.
In addition, it also unveiled a clever 14.2-inch “roll-in and roll-out” Plastic OLED or P-OLED display that’s designed to be embedded in the car’s centre console, and retract itself when not being used to create a clean interior aesthetic.
LG Display’s belief in autonomous driving also inspired its touch-sensitive curved OLED display that can be integrated into steering wheels. It enables the driver to interact with navigation, multimedia and climate control when controlling the vehicle, or alternatively binge on Netflix shows when the autonomous driver takes over.
To further aid motorists of the future, LG said it has created an AI-powered virtual assistant for drivers that provides “smart support” in various situations. For instance, it can detect symptoms of driver drowsiness and suggest that they put the vehicle into autonomous driving mode, simply stop the car and take a break.
Should the driver choose the latter option, the navigation system will automatically route the car to the closest coffee shop or motorway service station. Even better, the occupants of the car will be able to pre-order their coffees and snacks, and pay for them using a banking app that takes advantage of the display’s built-in fingerprint scanner.
Of course, the new OLED automotive displays and AI wizardry are all just concepts for now, but they serve as a great reminder of the increasingly powerful, intelligent and customizable in-car capabilities LG can now offer to the world’s automobile makers.
