On November 6, 2024, the Intelligent Cockpit Ecosystem Forum, hosted by Tianma Microelectronics and supported by the China Electric Vehicle 100 People’s Association, China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) Vehicle Intelligent Display Branch, and the China Automotive Chip Industry Innovation Strategic Alliance, was grandly held at the Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Center. The forum, themed “Screen Integration for Smart Cockpits: Displaying the Future of Vehicles,” gathered representatives from automotive-related industry associations, market research organizations, OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, component suppliers, and media. In the context of the global trends of electrification and intelligentization in the automotive industry, participants discussed the development trends, customer demands, technological strategies, and component support for intelligent cockpits.
Key guests included Shi Jianhua, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Electric Vehicle 100 People’s Association, Yuan Chengyin, General Manager of the National New Energy Vehicle Technology Innovation Center and Secretary-General of the China Automotive Chip Industry Innovation Strategic Alliance, Li Hong, Director of the Member Services Department of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, and important representatives from Tianma Microelectronics, including President Cheng Wei, Vice Presidents Cui Peng and Ye Daofu. The forum was co-hosted by Dr. Li Xiongping, Deputy General Manager of Tianma Microelectronics’ R&D Center, and Dr. Chen Jiancheng, Head of Technology Planning.
01 Opening Remarks
The forum began with a speech by Deputy Secretary-General Shi Jianhua of the China Electric Vehicle 100 People’s Association. He emphasized that the trends of intelligence, electrification, and connectivity have become irreversible global automotive industry trends. The Chinese intelligent cockpit industry is currently embracing unprecedented growth opportunities. Technologically, the intelligent cockpit is transitioning from a single information display to a multi-functional intelligent interaction hub. Breakthroughs in next-generation display technologies are revolutionizing cockpit displays. From a consumer demand perspective, users are not only concerned with the size and clarity of screens but also with the fluidity and intelligence of the overall interactive experience. Personalized customization, scenario-based applications, and emotional interaction have become standard for the new generation of intelligent cockpits. Regarding industry chain collaboration, the deep integration of core components, system integration, software development, and content services is taking shape, forming a vibrant and complete intelligent cockpit industry ecosystem.
Shi also highlighted that Tianma, as a global leader in automotive display solutions, has consistently been at the forefront of industry innovation. From in-car screens to HUD technology, and from Mini-LED to Micro-LED, Tianma’s comprehensive technological innovations are shaping the promising future of intelligent cockpits. This continuous innovation is the driving force behind the development of China’s intelligent cockpit industry. He called on more enterprises to move forward with technological innovation, embrace change with open cooperation, and drive continuous development by fostering a spirit of innovation to propel the Chinese intelligent cockpit industry to new heights.
Yuan Chengyin, General Manager of the National New Energy Vehicle Technology Innovation Center and Secretary-General of the China Automotive Chip Industry Innovation Strategic Alliance, delivered a speech in which he stated that the development of intelligent cockpits is not only a technological revolution but also a profound industry transformation that requires the wisdom and strength of all involved. He pointed out that China’s new energy vehicles are entering a new phase of high-quality development, with L2-level automation becoming standard in new cars. The widespread use of intelligent large screens, voice control, and artificial intelligence technologies is transforming traditional cockpits into intelligent spaces that integrate entertainment, relaxation, social interaction, and office functions. Moreover, intelligent cockpits are the most easily perceived and customizable aspects for users. This transformation offers users a fresh driving experience but also presents unprecedented challenges to the product’s safety, stability, and personalization. As the most critical information interaction medium in vehicles, automotive display technology faces significant opportunities and challenges in this transformation.
He stressed that, in the face of both opportunities and challenges, the industry must continue to innovate, focusing on breakthroughs in key technologies, and advancing the development and application of cutting-edge technologies such as Mini-LED and Micro-LED. This will significantly improve display performance and enhance user experience. He also advocated for strengthening system integration and cross-disciplinary collaboration, integrating hardware, software, AI, data processing, and even health and environmental technologies to build a greener, safer, smarter, and more humanized cockpit system. It is also essential to deepen industry chain collaboration and enhance cooperation between upstream and downstream enterprises to establish a sound standard system and foster a healthy and interactive industry ecosystem. He expressed hope that the forum would inject strong momentum into China’s intelligent cockpit innovation, leading the industry to a new chapter of development.
Tianma Microelectronics President Cheng Wei also expressed his heartfelt thanks to all the attendees. He noted that the Intelligent Cockpit Ecosystem Forum is not just an exchange of ideas but also a barometer for the development of the industry. The development of intelligent cockpits aligns with the broader trend of automotive industry intelligence transformation and meets user expectations for a smart driving experience. Just as smartphones have redefined communication, intelligent cockpits will usher in a new era of smart travel. Since its establishment in 1983, Tianma has always adhered to the development philosophy of “Innovation Leads the Future.” Over the past 41 years, Tianma has witnessed the historic leap of China’s display industry from catching up to leading in certain fields. Looking ahead, Tianma will continue to seize opportunities, expand markets, deepen expertise, and drive continuous innovation. The company will continue to integrate displays and smart cockpits, working with industry partners to propel the development of automotive displays and intelligent cockpits, contributing intelligence and strength to the global intelligent automotive industry.
Vice President of Tianma Microelectronics, Cui Peng, extended a warm welcome to the attendees. He emphasized that intelligent cockpits, as a major hotspot in automotive innovation, have entered a new phase of integrated innovation and large-scale application. Tianma, with over 30 years of expertise in automotive displays, has consistently focused on market and customer needs, striving to provide in-car displays that seamlessly integrate technology and aesthetics to optimize user experience. Tianma has maintained a leading position in the global market for instrument displays, with one in every four cars globally using Tianma’s instrument display products. The company is also actively developing cutting-edge display technologies such as Mini-LED, flexible OLED, Micro-LED, hidden displays, and privacy-switchable displays to build a technological foundation for the future of intelligent cockpits. With the arrival of the new era of automotive intelligence, Tianma will continue to leverage its innovative capabilities and product portfolio to accelerate the integration of intelligent cockpits, helping automotive brands create differentiated competitive advantages and advancing the industry toward a higher quality stage.
02 Guest Speeches and Reports
01 Industry Trends: New Opportunities for Intelligent Cockpit Innovation
An S&P Global Mobility senior analyst presented a keynote on “Key Components Analysis and Market Outlook for Intelligent Cockpits.” The report forecasted three major industry trends by 2030: the widespread adoption of 5G communication, significant growth in the electric vehicle market share, and increasing penetration of L2+ autonomous driving. By that time, it is expected that 36 million vehicle display units will be added globally, with a notable rise in demand for displays larger than 10 inches. The report also predicted that the head-up display (HUD) market penetration would reach 25%, with augmented reality (AR) HUD applications expanding. As the concept of “software-defined vehicles” becomes more widespread, the traditional supply chain is transitioning from a pyramid structure to a more flattened one.
02 Technological Innovation: A Multitude of Technology Routes
Professor Karlheinz Blankenbach from Pforzheim University and Honorary Chairman of the Deutsches Flachdisplay Forum (DFF) presented a keynote on “Comparing and Assessing Automotive Display Technologies.” He noted that automotive display technology is undergoing a revolutionary transformation:
- Expanded Application Scope: From dashboards to central displays, from passenger-side displays to rear-seat entertainment, and from full-width displays to head-up displays, display technology is permeating all corners of the cockpit.
- Diverse Technological Paths:
- LCD continues to dominate the market due to its mature supply chain and cost advantages. FALD (Full Array Local Dimming) technology, compared to traditional side-lit LCD, offers higher brightness and contrast, helping LCD maintain its dominant position for longer.
- OLED is expected to capture 6% of the market by 2028, focusing on high-end markets, with advantages such as fast response times and flexible displays.
- Micro-LED, regarded as the “ultimate display technology,” offers benefits such as high brightness and long lifespan, but it still faces production bottlenecks.
03 Innovation Practice: Leading the New Intelligent Cockpit Experience
Dr. Li Juan, Senior Director of R&D at Li Auto, shared the “Five-Screen Three-Dimensional Space Interaction” design concept, showcasing the evolution from traditional 2D flat-touch interactions to 3D multimodal smart interactions in intelligent cockpits.
Tianma’s Product Director of Vehicle Displays, Yang Shengjie, presented a keynote titled “Screen Integration for Smart Cockpits: Driving the Future.” He emphasized three key areas for intelligent cockpit display technology development:
- Safety: By integrating side mirror displays, DMS (Driver Monitoring System), and HUDs, driving blind spots can be minimized, significantly improving safety.
- Accessibility: The integration of large central displays, passenger-side displays, and rear-seat entertainment systems offers a richer human-machine interaction.
- Entertainment: Innovations like panoramic displays and hidden displays provide immersive driving and riding experiences.
04 Future Outlook: Tianma’s Innovation Roadmap
Liu Jinquan, General Manager of Tianma Microelectronics’ Automotive Business, provided an overview of Tianma’s future development plan. He said that the future automotive display technology will focus on “Customization &Cost” (Customization cost, Appearance, Performance, Touch) sensing, Ultra-large size, Reliability, and Emerging applications) and “DISC” (Differentiation, Intelligence, and Synergy) Development of two core concepts: collaborative simplicity, convenience & Cost, convenience and cost. As cars move toward “CASE+LW” (Connected, Autonomous, Shared & Services, Electric, Light-weighting), technology will play a more critical role in the evolution of smart cabins. Tianma will continue to promote innovation and provide strong technical support for the intelligent upgrading of the automotive industry.
05 Ecosystem Co-Creation: Collaborative Innovation Across the Industry Chain
Jing Lu, General Manager of Automotive Infotainment Systems at Texas Instruments (TI), delivered a presentation titled “Market Trends in Automotive Infotainment Systems and TI Display Solutions”. She highlighted the transformative shift in vehicle architecture driven by the “software-defined vehicle” concept. The transition involves reducing traditional vehicle designs from over 250 Electronic Control Units (ECUs) to fewer than 10 centralized computing units, alongside a shift from function-specific domains to zonal architectures. TI remains committed to advancing innovation in automotive electronics, aiming to support the industry’s progression towards smarter and safer vehicles.
03 Innovation Showcase
At the exhibition area, Tianma showcased an array of cutting-edge automotive display technologies, including Local Dimming, Wide Refresh Rate, Low Power Consumption, Narrow Border, AM-OLED, and InvisiVue. During the Tianma Microelectronics 2024 Global Innovation Conference, the company unveiled two groundbreaking innovations:
- “Xuan Hidden Elegance”: A next-generation intelligent interior technology.
- “Xuan Shimmer Connectivity”: An integrated sensing technology for smart cockpits.
These innovations demonstrated Tianma’s profound technical expertise and innovation capabilities in the automotive display sector.
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