Vehicle display backlight solution based on AMMini-LED technology
AMMini-LED technology-based automotive display backlighting solutions are rapidly becoming an independent market trend. With its advantages in brightness, contrast, power consumption, curved display, and large-scale applications, automotive Mini LED backlighting displays are making strides towards 1 million applications.
On February 2, Tianma Microelectronics officially announced the launch of an automotive display backlighting solution based on AMMini-LED technology. Tianma has revealed they will focus on AM Mini-LED backlight technology, continuously optimizing existing automotive screen display solutions, and actively promoting project cooperation with customers.
Currently, Mini LED is mainly aimed at backlight applications for display screens, combining the advantages of OLED and LCD in terms of display performance. Tianma has independently developed driving algorithms for different architectures to provide customers with multiple solutions. The company's Mini LED backlighting mainly targets medium-sized (tablet, laptop) and automotive customers and will proceed according to the progress and needs of the customers.
In 2022, Longli Technology signed a major order with Germany's Bosch for automotive Mini-LED backlight display module products needed from 2025 to 2033, worth more than 30 billion yuan. New energy vehicles companies such as NIO and Roewe were among the first to apply Mini LED backlight displays to automotive instrument panels.
The major trend of "electrification and intelligence" in automobiles is driving the acceleration of new technologies and products, such as Mini LED backlighting, to be integrated into vehicles.
One of the main advantages of Mini LED backlight displays is their enhanced reliability and high dynamic range (HDR), which are particularly suitable for automotive display panel applications.
Equipped with Mini LED backlighting, automotive displays can provide a contrast ratio and clarity comparable to OLED while avoiding OLED's temperature range limitations, shorter lifespan, and ghosting issues. With high zoning and precise current calibration, Mini LED backlight automotive displays can be several times brighter than OLED.
In October 2022, Longli Technology announced a long-term contract with Germany's Bosch, planning to provide Bosch with automotive Mini-LED backlight display module products needed from 2025 to 2033. The contract amount is about 4.21 billion US dollars, equivalent to 30.27 billion yuan.
The core of Mini LED backlighting is precise zoning and light control according to needs, achieving dynamic control of screen brightness or darkness, and comprehensively improving LCD modules' contrast, brightness, and colour gamut. This results in energy-saving and HDR display effects. In the current competition between Mini LED and OLED, Mini LED must focus on its technological advantages, make up for shortcomings, occupy the market with the best cost-performance ratio, and achieve popularization through differentiated performance characteristics in specific fields.
Vehicle applications are an area that Longli Technology is optimistic about and committed to investing in, focusing on the high brightness, contrast, and lifespan of Mini LED backlighting, especially energy consumption.
At the end of 2022, General Motors launched three future models:
- The Cadillac LYRIQ
- The Cadillac CELESTIQ concept car
- Buick Wildcat concept electric vehicle
It is worth noting that all three models use ultra-long Mini LED backlight LCD panels.
With the ability to provide local dimming, high brightness, long display life, and a gradually maturing supply chain, Mini LED backlighting is expected to expand rapidly in the automotive display market.
According to research statistics from GGII, the global automotive LED market exceeded 4 billion US dollars in 2022. Among them, Mini LED backlight automotive display shipments exceeded 125,000 units. GGII predicts that with the reduced cost of Mini LED backlighting and the accelerated introduction of Mini LED backlight automotive displays by car manufacturers, shipments of automotive Mini LED backlight displays will break the 1 million unit mark by 2025. During this process, the cost will be a key factor for automakers to consider.
Although Mini LED backlight displays are well-suited for automotive applications, adopting Mini LED backlighting will undoubtedly significantly increase module costs. Insiders from new car manufacturers have stated that although equipping cars with Mini LED backlight displays is a selling point, the cost increase compared to traditional backlighting can be a reasonable price.
However, as the Mini LED industry chain gradually matures, the cost issue is being rapidly resolved. In 2022, many LED companies made automotive LED one of their key market focuses, supporting technology research and development, product innovation, and marketing.
NationStar Optoelectronics continues to penetrate the automotive LED field, succe
ssfully entering the supply chains of several well-known automakers and gradually increasing its market influence. NationStar Optoelectronics can provide one-stop vehicle solutions for customers, from LED chips and light source devices to application modules and display modules.
NationStar Optoelectronics currently has a complete range of automotive LED products that meet the ACE-Q102 standard. With their excellent product performance, the company has successfully entered the supply chains of several automakers and is actively working with internationally renowned automotive customers to carry out product verification.
HC Semitek has closely cooperated with mid- and downstream customers in the automotive LED backlight display market and has achieved mass shipments. In 2022, automotive LED became one of the key areas for BillionLight Optoelectronics to focus on.
In automotive Mini LED backlighting, Jingke Electronics introduced a 10-13 inch Mini LED backlight using the Underfill process, which can achieve lamp-driver integration and is equipped with an AM driving solution. The zoning can reach 128 or more, with NTSC >100%, providing various customizable solutions for customers.
"Compared to traditional automotive displays, Mini LED backlighting can achieve zonal lighting and automatically adjust brightness according to the screen content, thus improving contrast and making the picture appear clearer and more realistic," said a representative from Jingke Electronics.
As the automotive industry continues to evolve and incorporate advanced technologies like Mini LED backlighting, the demand for these innovative display solutions is expected to grow, offering improved visual experiences for drivers and passengers alike.
