AUO collaborated with Sony Honda Mobility and demonstrated a microLED "media bar" mounted on the exterior f Sony Honda's AFEELA 1 car, at CES 2025. AUO says that this is a groundbreaking application that connects the cockpit to the world outside the vehicle, inspiring innovative car designs.
This is indeed the first application of Micro LED displays on a vehicle’s exterior. The two companies explain that the Media Bar can be used to show a diverse range of information, including charging status and vehicle details with unobstructed visibility. Vehicle occupants could engage with the outside world from within the cockpit by displaying personalized content on the media bar, such as videos, pictures, and unique messages.
The AFEELA 1 will start shipping, if all goes well, in the middle of 2026, so in a year and a half. This may well be the world's first commercial microELD automotive application.
The automotive market is a key market for many microLED developers, as there is a strong need for high performance high brightness displays with long lifetime, excellent durability and a wide operation range. The automotive market also includes a premium segment that can adopt next-gen technologies such as microLEDs, both price-wise and scale wise.
AUO recently said that the company is "making significant progress" in MicroLED technology, transitioning to a 4.5-Gen line, which will enable it to start producing automotive displays, which are expected to launch by 2026 or 2027. Indeed hopefully AUO has more design wins for its microLED displays in the automotive sector.
