The rendering of the Hyundai Mobis-Zeiss holographic ‘windshield’ HUD system (Screenshot captured from Hyundai Mobis website)
South Korea’s Hyundai Mobis Co., also the world’s No. 6 automotive parts supplier, has joined hands with German optics giant Zeiss to mass-produce next-generation automotive display holographic head-up displays (HUDs) in 2027.
The auto parts maker under Hyundai Motor Group on Sunday announced that it has signed a business cooperation agreement with Zeiss to develop automotive HUDs that will display content across the windshield with holographic technology and to start commercializing them in 2027, which could be the first of its kind in the world.
The holographic HUD is touted as the next-generation automotive display technology because it can display more content than just navigation and speed information on the windshield.
The new HUD technology is expected to significantly reduce road fatalities caused by driver distraction and allow more freedom in car interior design.
According to global tech market research firm Omdia, the global holographic HUD market is forecast to grow to about 7 million units in 2030 to become a mainstream HUD technology.
In 2019, Zeiss developed multifunctional smart glass technology, which can float holographic and augmented-reality content on a transparent surface like HUDs in cars, for the first time in the world.
Zeiss is the world’s first to develop the holographic multifunctional smart glass in 2019 (Courtesy of Zeiss)
The technology is already used in aircraft cockpits, and the German company has been pushing for its mass production since last year.
Hyundai Mobis is the world’s sixth-largest auto parts supplier, according to Automotive News’ global top 100 auto parts maker list.
It performed the best last year since its inception and expects another stellar year this year on strong overseas orders.
HYUNDAI MOBIS WITH INNOVATIVE AUTOMOTIVE DISPLAYS
Under the term, the Korean company will develop an automotive projector while overseeing the overall development project of the holographic HUD system.
A light projector displays on the desired surface like a windshield, and an automotive projector requires special technologies to miniaturize the system with minimized noise and heat generation.
Hyundai Mobis has greed to join hands with Zeiss to develop holographic automotive HUDs (Courtesy of Hyundai Mobis)
The holographic HUD system also needs a special holographic film to create vivid content on the transparent surface. Holographic films, often laminated between two sheets of glass or plastic, act as the medium through which holographic images are displayed.
Zeiss will develop the holographic film with its renowned micro-optics technology for the holographic HUD system.
The two companies are said to have already developed the prototype of their holographic HUD system and demonstrated it to a group of Korean finished car makers.
They also plan to expand their collaboration to develop other automotive optics technologies such as automotive interior and exterior holographic displays and 3D rear lamps, said Jung Soo-kyung, vice president of Hyundai Mobis.
The Korean auto part major has been striving to develop innovative automotive display technologies.
It developed the world’s first automotive rollable display and swivel display.
At CES 2024, it also premiered a transparent display that employs holographic optical elements to project driving information on a transparent panel.
By Jung-Eun Shin
newyearis@hankyung.com
Sookyung Seo edited this article.
