The 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) demonstrated significant advancements in automotive display technology, featuring innovations that are set to transform the driving experience. Among the highlights were holographic Head-Up Displays (HUDs), transparent displays, and new privacy features for passenger infotainment screens.
Holographic Head-Up Displays
Two major companies, Hyundai Mobis and Ceres Holographics, unveiled their versions of holographic HUDs at CES 2025. These displays use a holographic optical element (HOE) to diffract light back to the driver within a specified field of view, resulting in brighter images that remain visible even through polarized sunglasses. Unlike traditional HUDs, these holographic displays are more efficient and can be designed to be invisible to passengers.
Hyundai Mobis, in collaboration with Zeiss, developed an analog-produced HOE layer applied to the inside of a Kia EV9 windshield. This technology boasts a claimed brightness of 5,000 nits and aims for launch as early as 2027. On the other hand, Ceres Holographics, teamed with Covestro and Eastman, used a digitally produced HOE layer, which they claim offers greater brightness and flexibility in windshield design. Ceres targets series production by 2028.
Transparent Displays
MicroLED technology took center stage at CES 2025, enabling various applications for transparent displays. These displays promise lower ownership costs, easy integration into glass, and high light transmissibility. AUO demonstrated a vehicle with panoramic roof and rear side windows featuring thin, transparent, touch-sensitive MicroLED displays. These displays can create immersive experiences, such as virtual fireworks or starry night skies, achieving 55% light transmissibility in clear state and 2% when displaying black.
Continental showcased a more affordable window projection option using a small roof-mounted projector and a laminated film in the glass. This setup can display images visible from outside while maintaining 50% light transmissibility when not in use.
Switchable Privacy Displays
Rain Technologies introduced a switchable privacy display technology for passenger infotainment screens. This innovation allows drivers to control whether passengers can view content on their screens, using a proprietary backlight and liquid crystal polarizer. The technology can switch between public and private modes in under a millisecond and is compatible with various display types, including LCD, OLED, and micro-LED.
These advancements in display technology are poised to revolutionize the automotive industry, offering enhanced safety features, improved passenger experiences, and new possibilities for in-car entertainment and information systems.
