LG to supply OLED displays for next generation of German smart cars

On 26 June, LG signed contracts with several German car makers to supply OLED panels for use in future electric vehicles and smart cars.

The move will see OLED displays replacing glass LCD screens which currently dominate the market for dashboard displays in vehicles like Daimler Benz's Fortwo ED. LG is now conducting reliability tests on its OLED display panels for this automotive application.

LG currently accounts for 13% of the supply of such screens. LG Display president Han Sand-Beom says: 'For the next three years we plan to increase our sales for automotive display panels by 30 percent a year to take the leading position.' In 2013, the Korean company's revenue from these products was ₩500 billion (€360 million), though it plans todouble this by 2016.

This will compliment LG's existing strong working relationships with companies like BMW to bring OLED lighting technology into the automotive sector.