Editor's Note:As the automobile evolves from a single attribute of "transportation tool" to a "third living space," a revolution in in-car audio-visuals is reshaping the public travel experience. Starting from this issue, China Electronics News launches the "Mobile Feast - In-Car Audio-Visual" series, focusing on the "boundary-breaking" of display technology, the "dimension-upgrading" of auditory experience, and the "symbiosis" of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and the cabin. It explores the latest practices in transparent display, panoramic sound field, and immersive cockpit, and interprets how in-car audio-visuals expand from simple functional stacking to a full-scenario smart ecosystem connecting people, vehicles, and homes, making every journey a memorable "feast."
As glass sheds its passive "silent" trait, a reimagining of light and space is quietly taking shape inside the smart cockpit. From smart dimming technology switching between transparency and privacy in milliseconds, to photonic chips turning the entire side window into an immersive viewport, and Micro-LED transparent screens embedded in car air vents, transparent displays are crossing the "concept" chasm, rewriting the definition of the automobile as a "third space," and ushering in a critical turning point for "small-scale integration into vehicles" in 2026.
Smart Dimming Becomes a Key Configuration for Cabin Experience The XPeng GX is equipped with an LC dye liquid crystal light curtain solution. It uses six dimming glass panels across the vehicle to deliver full privacy coverage, with ultra-fast millisecond dimming as quick as 0.16 seconds; the NIO ES9 has achieved a breakthrough application of fine adjustment for 64 zones and 11-zone light curtains across the vehicle; the Xiaomi SU7 Max is equipped with an EC smart panoramic roof, allowing front and rear passengers to independently adjust the transparency of the roof in their respective areas according to their needs... Multiple new models such as the SAIC Audi E7X and Shangjie Z7 have incorporated smart dimming as a key configuration direction for the cabin experience.
Given the growth of the NEVs (New Energy Vehicles) market, the penetration rate of panoramic roofs continues to rise, and user pain points such as "intense sun exposure, glare interference, lack of privacy, and cumbersome aftermarket film application" are becoming increasingly prominent, forcing the supply chain to seek systematic solutions. Consequently, smart dimming technology has shifted from early "flagship novelty" to "large-scale penetration," and the application logic has advanced from "single-point coverage" to "full-space fine control": the scope has expanded from panoramic roofs to side windows and will later extend to more zones including the rear cabin.
In terms of technical routes, EC electrochromic, PDLC liquid crystal dimming, DLC dye liquid crystal, and SPD suspended particles each demonstrate their unique capabilities. Substrate glass forms the "skeleton", PVB boosts safety, while "smart core" components including liquid crystals, nanomaterials and ITO conductive films deliver core features such as dimming, heat insulation and privacy protection.
BOE's LC dye liquid crystal light curtain solution precisely controls the deflection of liquid crystal molecules through voltage, achieving seamless switching between ultra-fast millisecond dimming as quick as 0.16 seconds and privacy transparency; combined with neutral black state technology, the dimming of the rear side windows has no white fog and no color shift, providing a pure and natural visual effect; in the dark state, it achieves one-way perspective, invisible from the outside and transparent from the inside, ensuring ultimate privacy protection in one step. Reporters learned from BOE that its light curtain technology achieves 64-zone independent control and fine adjustment, allowing local and gradient dimming for the rear side windows, precisely controlling light source intake, and balancing driving vision and personal privacy. Meanwhile, empowered by AI technology, the BOE light curtain system is deeply integrated with the smart cockpit, automatically adjusting the light transmittance according to external light intensity and user usage scenarios, adapting to multiple modes such as business, leisure, entertainment, and rest.
Another technical route, EC electrochromic technology, changes the optical state of materials through electrochemical reactions, allowing the glass to switch between bright and dark states. In its clear state, the panoramic roof stays transparent to let natural light flood the cabin; under strong sunlight, it switches to dark mode to cut direct transmission of visible and infrared light and reduce head-level sun exposure, glare and thermal discomfort. Reporters interviewed Ambilight Technology, a producer of EC dimming films, and learned that the difference between EC smart dimming and traditional heat insulation methods lies in the fact that it does not simply make the glass darker, but endows the glass with the ability to actively adjust the light and heat state of the cabin on demand. Currently, the application areas of its dimming products have extended from automotive panoramic roofs to side windows, while upgrading core functions such as sun protection, heat insulation, and privacy protection.
Market data corroborates this technical trend. According to forecasts by Guoxin Securities Research, the market size of China's automotive dimming panoramic roofs will increase from approximately 1.3 billion RMB in 2025 to about 14 billion RMB in 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 60.86%. The global automotive dimming glass market is expected to grow from 2.3 billion USD in 2025 to 5.073 billion USD in 2032.
Industry insiders point out that the industrialization of smart dimming technology relies on the coordination of a complete supply chain comprising "upstream raw materials, midstream assembly manufacturing, and downstream applications." Technological breakthroughs and cost optimization in each link jointly promote the popularization of panoramic roof products. Currently, the global supply chain for smart light-sensitive panoramic roofs has formed a China-led, globally collaborative ecosystem. Domestic enterprises have significant advantages in midstream assembly manufacturing and downstream applications, while some upstream core materials still rely on imports. In the future, the localization of the supply chain will become an important development direction.
Micro-LED In-Vehicle Applications Penetrate Deeper In the design wave of "technological aesthetics" in smart cockpits, Micro-LED, as a next-generation display technology, brings infinite possibilities to cabin design with its characteristics of high transparency, customizable shapes, and splicability. Currently, the focus of automotive Micro-LED applications is shifting from conventional AR-HUDs and large transparent dashboard displays to micro-interactive elements including air vents, control knobs and interior ambient lighting.
Tianma Microelectronics recently launched a 3.16-inch Micro-LED transparent circular screen. With a 1mm ultra-narrow bezel and a circular form factor, it can be integrated into car air vents, central control knobs, interior ambient screens, and secondary instrument screens, clearly displaying information such as time, vehicle status, ambient lighting effects, and quick interactions.
Addressing the long-standing contradiction in transparent display of "transparent but unclear, high brightness but not see-through," the industry has also introduced multiple Micro-LED innovative solutions: an 8.07-inch Micro-LED low-reflection screen with a light transmittance of over 50% at 167 PPI and reflectance reduced to below 3%, fearless of ambient light interference; and a 9.38-inch adjustable transparency Micro-LED screen, where the transmittance can adaptively switch between 0.1% and 24%, keeping the picture clear and sharp even under strong light.
In addition, LG Display showcased a Micro-LED-based transparent display concept product at CES 2026, positioned as a smart interaction hub for the front windshield. It can be integrated into car windows, central control trim panels, and other locations to present key information without affecting the field of vision. However, it is still in the proof-of-concept stage, and no mass production schedule has been announced. AUO's transparent Micro-LED display module adopts advanced anti-reflection technology, supports multi-dimensional splicing, and is targeted at central console and cabin display applications. Innolux's Micro-LED display window, with advantages of high clarity, high transmittance, high brightness, and high resolution, remains clearly visible even under strong light. It supports unit modular splicing and can simultaneously display navigation and other information, seamlessly integrating into real-world scenarios.
Industry insiders state that, overall, at this stage, Japanese and South Korean manufacturers are still focusing their Micro-LED efforts on large screens and TVs. Domestic manufacturers such as Tianma and BOE Varitronix continue to deeply cultivate the automotive segmented customized transparent route, securing differentiated selling points for high-end NEVs and luxury brand interiors in advance, and widening the gap in in-vehicle display form factor innovation.
"Photonic Transparent Chip" Technology Opens a New Track Car side windows can transform into high-definition large screens when needed, integrating with the panoramic roof and rear partition glass to achieve a "three-screen integration." The dynamic pictures are clear and bright without compromising transparency at all. This is the reality brought by the "photonic transparent chip (nanoAR™)" technology.
This technology follows a route vastly different from those of LCD and OLED. Essentially, it is a multi-layer flexible transparent film material with a 3D nanoscale volume holographic optical structure. The "photonic transparent chip" utilizes the holographic structure and, through computer design, can purposefully regulate light to display clear images on a fully transparent medium. The all-scenario transparent display solution for automotive glass created in this way allows the panoramic roof to switch at will between dynamic visual scenes such as starry skies and clouds, and can also play audio and video films. Side windows support touch interaction, meeting passengers' diverse needs for work, entertainment, and interactive gaming. The rear partition glass can freely switch between transparent and display modes, balancing business privacy and spatial transparency, and adapting to different usage scenarios such as family travel and business reception.
"LCD and OLED require massive investments, are dominated by giants, and have limited room for innovation." Wang Yongjing, Chairman of Photonic Crystal, points out the difference, stating that the photonic transparent chip is not designed to compete head-on with mainstream display technologies such as LCDs, but rather to complement them—this technology can be used anywhere that requires both transparency and display.
In Wang Yongjing's view, the track of in-vehicle transparent display is becoming increasingly clear, and it will soon become a standard display configuration in cars. "After the popularization of intelligent driving, the demand for driving functions decreases, while the demand for entertainment and office work surges. Transparent display becomes a new rigid demand for in-vehicle driving and riding," he said.
Reporters learned through interviews that despite the broad technical prospects, the industrialization of in-vehicle transparent display still faces three core tests. First is the contradiction between brightness and light transmittance; the industry is still exploring how to maintain sufficient light transmittance while ensuring high brightness and strong light visibility to avoid affecting driving safety. Second is the challenge of automotive-grade reliability; the high and low temperatures (-40℃~85℃), vibration, and ultraviolet radiation during vehicle driving, as well as anti-glare and anti-fingerprint issues in daily use, pose extremely high requirements for the durability of transparent displays. Third is the high cost; the current per-vehicle cost of solutions ranges from thousands to tens of thousands of RMB, requiring cost reduction through large-scale mass production.
From concept to in-vehicle application, from high-end customization to gradual popularization, in-vehicle transparent display in 2026 is tearing off the "concept label," accelerating into the public view, and becoming the next growth pole in the in-vehicle display industry.
Author | Lu Mengqi Editor | Qiu Jiangyong Art Editor | Malia Supervisor | Lian Xiaodong