As the waves of new energy and intelligent driving push smart cockpits from concept to mass production, significant transformations are taking place in automotive displays. However, the anticipated boom for Mini LED has yet to arrive. This raises the question: with smart cockpits moving towards mass production, what is holding back the widespread adoption of Mini LED backlighting in vehicles?
Recently, at the “Mini Backlight and Micro LED Commercialization 2.0 Summit,” executives from various companies discussed the challenges facing Mini LED backlighting in automotive applications, citing factors such as cost sensitivity among automakers and potential opportunities and directions for Mini LED integration.
Increased Cost Sensitivity Among Automakers
Cost optimization is crucial for enhancing the penetration of Mini LED backlighting technology, representing a significant hurdle to overcome. Feedback from multiple manufacturers indicates that the intensification of competition in the new energy vehicle sector has led automakers to become more sensitive to costs.
Sang Jian, Deputy General Manager of Hongli Display, noted that while initial price sensitivity among automakers was lower, the escalating competition in new energy vehicles has heightened the focus on costs among automakers and Tier 1 suppliers. In this context, Mini LED must align with market demands and find ways to reduce costs.
Zhu Jianfei, a technology expert from Ruifeng Optoelectronics, emphasized that in the current automotive market, the time required for educating customers about new technologies and the validation costs exceed those in other fields. This is evident as the automotive market thoroughly evaluates the necessity and advancement of new technologies, especially given the rapid iteration pace among domestic new energy vehicle players. As such, effective cost control and a swift response to manufacturers’ validation timelines are essential, aligning closely with consumer electronics’ speed to cater to automotive market needs.
When it comes to display technology and costs, the current demand from automakers is to achieve OLED-like picture quality at LCD prices.
According to Dr. Zhang Jianliang, CEO of Xingenuo, achieving customer expectations for image quality at a feasible cost is challenging. The current cost expectation for Mini LED backlighting is 1.2 times that of LCDs; however, the actual Mini LED cost is 2-3 times that of LCDs, with OLED being even more expensive.
Cha Guowei, Head of the MLED Technology Group at TCL Huaxing, stated that regarding costs, we often mention that Mini LED is 1.4 to 1.2 times more expensive than LCDs, with 1.2 times being our goal for this year. Achieving this could present new opportunities for the industry.
For cost optimization, Dr. Zhang cited the development trajectory of televisions, where Mini LED backlit TVs have significantly reduced costs by introducing AM backlight driving and single-sided aluminum substrate solutions. Currently, the mainstream and mass-produced automotive solutions are PM driving schemes and multi-layer FR4 board solutions, which are costly. Learning from the television industry’s path, it is believed that AM driving solutions will soon find applications in vehicles within the next 1-2 years, and single-sided aluminum substrate solutions will also offer some cost reduction opportunities.
Beyond costs, another challenge for Mini LED adoption in vehicles lies in the trust level between automakers and the supply chain. This includes technology maturity, cost optimization, and brand product recognition, which require time to establish.
Opportunities and Directions for Mini LED Integration
At the summit, companies like Hangsheng Electronics, Hongli Display, and Huayinxin emphasized safety concerns during driving, indicating that Mini LED backlighting applications are primarily concentrated in instrument panels and central control screens, where they hold competitive advantages.
Liao Weide, a product expert at Hangsheng Electronics, pointed out that 83% of how humans acquire information comes from visual inputs. Therefore, automotive displays must provide users with added value while minimizing distractions during driving. Utilizing Mini LED for instrument panels and displays beneath the steering wheel can effectively mitigate the impact of ambient light.
In automotive displays, instrument panels have the highest requirements. Dr. Yin Lei, Head of Mini & Micro-LED Technology R&D at Huayinxin, noted that instrument panels have stringent standards for appearance, backlight color and intensity, and environmental conditions, especially concerning light leakage and flickering, which could impair driving. Mini LED applications exhibit a competitive edge in this regard.
Deputy General Manager Sang Jian from Hongli Display illustrated that using Mini LED for high-brightness displays in central control and instrument panels can provide clear visibility in bright conditions while reducing light pollution during nighttime driving, thereby enhancing safety.
Additionally, regarding product form, there is a trend towards larger and thinner displays in automotive settings. Dr. Yin noted that embedded large screens represent an opportunity for Mini LED, as OLED large screens are more expensive. However, floating screens face challenges related to thickness; typically, backlight modules are around 15mm, which may not be acceptable to manufacturers. Thus, making Mini LED displays lighter and more aesthetically pleasing is a significant challenge for manufacturers.
Conclusion
From the insights shared at the summit, we can discern:
- The overall new energy vehicle industry is increasingly aligning with consumer electronics trends, leading to heightened cost sensitivity among automakers, necessitating rapid supply chain responses and cost optimization strategies. The optimization of Mini LED backlighting solutions for automotive applications may benefit from the television industry’s development trajectory.
- Another challenge for Mini LED adoption arises from the trust level between automakers and the supply chain, encompassing technology maturity, cost optimization, and brand recognition, which will require time to build.
- Nevertheless, the reliability advantages of Mini LED backlighting provide a competitive edge in applications for instrument panels and central control screens.
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