LG Display claims for these screens to better prevent driver distraction while still enabling passenger entertainment.
While many users may actually welcome a return to physical buttons in their cars, the trend of whole dashboards turning into screens seems to be here to stay. Though as a consolation to this, at least LG Display is currently on hand to tackle the rather pertinent problem of these big displays being a distraction, with the South Korean electronics giant set to deploy ‘viewing angle control technology’ in its next-gen offerings.
Set to be unveiled at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas on January 9th, LG Display proclaims for its “Switchable Privacy Mode” to individually tailor what the driver and passenger sees on the display, despite both looking at the same screen. And while exact details are still forthcoming thus far, the electronics manufacturer aims for this technology to better cater to passenger’s entertainment needs while preventing driver distraction.
Just for those who have a long memory of in-car tech however, it is worth highlighting this same-screen-different-display feature isn’t exactly a novel idea. Such is because Land Rover (of all people) actually offered a similar feature on its L322 Range Rover all the way back in 2010.
Different though from what Land Rover could do over a decade and a half ago is that this new LG Display bi-directional display will likely be capable of following the curvature of the vehicle’s dashboard, thanks in part to the P-OLED technology that adds a plastic lining for the screen to bend slightly. These screens will also apparently incorporate Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon technology, which allows for larger and higher-resolution LCD displays.
This same-screen-different view technology comes amid LG Display’s larger effort to continue its “screenification” of cars, in order to maintain its self-proclaimed position as “the world’s number one” in supplying infotainment screens optimised for “future mobility”. To that end, the South Korean electronics manufacturer is also currently slated to introduce a new head-up display system which, along with the instrument cluster, uses 3D technology to improve visibility for the driver.
Moving rearwards in the vehicle meanwhile, LG Display is currently teasing slidable and foldable OLEDs installed in the back of seats that can be hidden away or extended for use on demand. Its teaser photos also reveal what appears to be ultra-thin high-definition screens that seem at least to roll down from the vehicle’s ceiling.
Alongside these screens too, LG will apparently be showcasing several other innovations made for ‘autonomous software-defined vehicles’ during CES 2024. Though exact details as to what exactly these innovations are will only be made available during the event next week. So stay tuned!
