Smart Cockpit Competition Accelerates… Automotive Displays to be Showcased at CES 2026

At CES 2026, it became clear that automotive display technology has emerged as a core competitive factor amid the broader transition of vehicles from mere means of transportation to intelligent living spaces. As the shift toward autonomous driving and Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs) accelerates, the amount of information and content required inside vehicles continues to increase. Accordingly, displays are no longer simple screens but have evolved into central technologies that define interior architecture and user experience. At this year’s exhibition, LG Display, Hyundai Mobis, AUO, and Corning each presented distinct technological approaches that together outlined the future direction of the smart cockpit.

LG Display showcased its “Automotive Dual View OLED” and “Automotive UDC (Under Display Camera)-IR OLED” at CES 2026, earning a CES Innovation Award in the In-Vehicle Entertainment category. Dual View OLED enables different content to be viewed simultaneously by the driver and the front passenger on a single panel, providing driving-related information exclusively to the driver while delivering entertainment content to the passenger. This technology is seen as an effective solution to information interference in increasingly large automotive displays, while significantly enhancing cockpit design flexibility. The UDC-IR OLED integrates an infrared camera beneath the display to support driver monitoring systems (DMS) without compromising screen continuity or image quality. Together, OLED’s inherent advantages in contrast and color reproduction, combined with advanced sensor integration, demonstrate a clear direction toward strengthening both in-vehicle entertainment and safety functions.

Hyundai Mobis took center stage at CES 2026 after winning a CES Innovation Award for its holographic windshield display (HWD), integrated into its cockpit integration solution “M.BiCS 7.0.” Developed in collaboration with German optics company ZEISS, the HWD is the world’s first technology to apply a holographic film to the entire windshield, enabling the front glass to function as a large-scale transparent display. While conventional HUD systems face limitations in size, thermal management, and design due to their reflective optical architectures, holographic displays leverage diffractive optics to precisely control light paths, allowing the system to be realized with a compact optical engine of approximately 1.2 liters. In addition, the holographic film maintains a high transparency of over 95%, minimizing visual obstruction while driving, and supports customized eyebox designs that enable different information to be presented independently to the driver and front passenger. This technology is regarded as an effective solution for managing the rapidly increasing information density of the autonomous driving era, while simultaneously maximizing cockpit integration and design coherence.

At CES 2026, AUO officially launched its new subsidiary, AUO Mobility Solutions Corporation (AMSC), declaring its transition beyond displays toward becoming a system-integrated smart cockpit solution provider. AMSC was established through the integration of AUO’s mobility solutions business with the climate control systems and HMI design expertise of Germany-based BHTC GmbH. At the exhibition, AMSC unveiled next-generation smart cockpit solutions that integrate immersive display experiences, intelligent sensing, and scalable computing platforms. By delivering visual elements, computing, and connectivity within a unified architecture, the company aims to realize cockpit environments optimized for software-defined vehicles, a strategy widely interpreted as an effort to strengthen both rapid development cycles and mass-production readiness demanded by OEMs.

In the materials segment, Corning drew attention with its advanced anti-reflective surface treatment technology for automotive displays. As large-format in-vehicle displays continue to expand toward pillar-to-pillar configurations, sunlight-induced reflections have emerged as a major challenge affecting visibility. Corning’s solution dramatically reduces surface reflections while enabling deep black performance, simultaneously enhancing image quality and driving safety. The technology offers high compatibility with a wide range of panel types, including OLED and Mini-LED, and is therefore regarded as a key enabler supporting the broader adoption of next-generation large automotive displays.

The technologies unveiled at CES 2026 collectively demonstrate that automotive displays are evolving beyond individual components into core platforms that integrate space, user experience, and safety. From OLED-driven image quality advancements and holographic displays that redefine interior space, to system-integrated smart cockpit strategies and the material innovations that underpin them, each company is pursuing a distinct approach. Yet all are converging toward a shared objective: delivering new user experiences tailored to the era of intelligent mobility.

Changwook Han, Executive Vice President/Analyst at UBI Research (cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

2025 Automotive Display Technology and Industry Trends Analysis Report

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