Zoogo Auto Research released the "2026 Automotive Smart Interior Research Report", focusing on:
New Interior Materials and Processes: Bio-based materials, recycled materials, carbon fiber materials, cooling coatings, POE leather, light-transmitting surface materials, smart fabrics, e-paper trim strips, crystal interiors, IMD (In-Mold Decoration) process, IME (In-Mold Electronics) process, TOM (Transfer Out Molding) process, etc.;
Smart Interior Functions: Starry sky roofs, illuminated door panels, illuminated instrument panels, and other innovative interior lighting; electronic skin, smart air vents, hidden displays, transparent displays, surface projection, etc.
Research on new interior materials and processes, as well as smart interior functions by OEMs and suppliers.
Preface
In 2026, automotive interiors continue to undergo profound innovation centered around the "third living space." The scaled application of new sustainable interior materials and the intelligence of interior components have emerged as the two most prominent technical highlights.
On the one hand, dual carbon regulations and the demand for healthy cockpits are driving the mass production of recycled and bio-based materials, balancing multiple values such as lightweight, low VOC, and recyclability. On the other hand, sensors, displays, and flexible circuits are deeply integrated with interior base materials. Traditional hardware such as trim panels, seats, headliners, and windows are breaking free from single decorative attributes, upgrading to interactive, perceptible, and adaptive smart carriers. Both directions are being implemented simultaneously.
Currently, from the perspective of OEM layouts, the adoption of bio-based and recycled materials has become a consensus, covering Volkswagen, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, BYD, new forces, and independent traditional automakers. Meanwhile, smart and ambient interior configurations such as crystal components, starry sky roofs, hidden displays, light-transmitting surfaces, electric air vents, and surface projection show distinct differentiated layout characteristics.
Among these smart interior technologies, cutting-edge technologies such as hidden displays, surface projection, and interactive starry sky screens have successively reached production in 2026.
I. Evolution of Starry Sky Roofs: Roll-up, Capacitive, and Other Solutions Enhance Multi-dimensional Interactive Capabilities of Roof Interiors
Along with the intelligent upgrade of cockpits, traditional fiber-optic starry sky roofs, which only feature static light and shadow effects, continue to iterate. Various technical solutions have gradually emerged, including photosensitive ink, chip starry sky films, projection, light-transmitting leather, roll-up, and capacitive types. Functions have expanded from single ambient lighting to multi-dimensional interactive capabilities such as electric adjustment, gesture touch, custom images, and vehicle system linkage.
Currently, the mainstream starry sky roof technical paths in the industry each have their own characteristics:
Traditional fiber-optic starry sky roofs rely on LEDs combined with fiber-optic light guides to achieve dynamic meteor light effects, with representative models being the Rolls-Royce Wraith and Zunjie S800;
Photosensitive ink starry sky roofs rely on laser-engraved photosensitive ink patterns in glass laminates and side-mounted RGB light sources for illumination. Represented by the BMW i7 and Yangwang U8, they support multi-color dynamic light and shadow;
Chip starry sky films are equipped with independent light-emitting chips, allowing individual control of each star point to achieve complex dynamic effects such as breathing flashes and music rhythm;
Projection starry sky roofs rely on in-vehicle projectors to project patterns onto the headliner;
Light-transmitting leather starry sky roofs use light-transmitting leather combined with internal light guide plates to present customized luminous patterns.
In 2026, the new generation of smart starry sky roof technologies, such as roll-up or capacitive types, achieved mass production.
Representative of Roll-up Starry Sky Roof: Zunjie V800
In June 2026, the Zunjie V800 was released, equipped with a roll-up starry sky roof that supports custom images, gesture interaction, and electric opening and closing.
Representative of Capacitive Starry Sky Roof: Huake Chuangzhi
On June 27, 2026, Huake Chuangzhi debuted its newly released capacitive interactive starry sky roof. This is an innovative in-vehicle product created by Huake Chuangzhi based on its self-developed nano-silver core technology. It supports full-area capacitive touch, gesture control, and smart linkage with the vehicle system. It can freely switch between various dynamic starry scenes such as the Milky Way, meteors, and auroras, featuring delicate and uniform light and shadow without light spots or dark areas.
Relying on a precise capacitive touch recognition system, the product can capture the precise 2D coordinates of finger touches in real time and accurately drive the corresponding LED pixel units to switch brightness. A light tap on the area can light up the stars brightly, and a second tap can turn them off and restore them. It supports independent and precise control of individual stars and local star areas, with zero-delay interactive response and delicate, smooth light and shadow switching, truly achieving two-way human-machine light and shadow interaction.
II. Mass Production of Hidden Displays: Perfect Integration of In-Vehicle Displays and Interiors
Hidden displays enable the perfect integration of in-vehicle displays and interiors. The core feature of this technology is the differentiated performance in screen-off and screen-on states: in the screen-off state, the screen fully blends into the interior base, restoring the native textures of materials such as wood, stone, and metal, with colors and gloss naturally unified with surrounding trim panels; when lit, the display area forms clear images, while unlit dark areas still retain the native decorative texture, achieving a seamless combination of technological screens and cockpit aesthetics.
In 2026, hidden display technology moved from concept to mass production.
In March 2026, SAIC Volkswagen ID.ERA 9X introduced the Smart Surface magic screen. This innovative screen blends with the interior decoration when not in use and only lights up when needed, providing a new direction for automotive design that combines safety, aesthetics, and technology. The hidden display technology instrument panel is supplied by Yanfeng, and the rear door panel screen is supplied by Huayang Universal.
The Smart Surface magic screen adopts a micro-porous film process, with the core lying in the innovatively processed DFP film. This film is a sandwich-structured film. The innermost layer is a transparent substrate that protects the screen and transmits light; the middle layer is a hidden layer that prevents edge light leakage; the outermost layer is a printed layer presenting a wood grain pattern. The hidden layer and the printed layer are covered with micrometer-level micro-holes punched by laser drilling equipment, allowing light to pass through directly.
Currently, domestic and international suppliers have launched mature hidden display solutions. The technical routes cover Mini LED backlighting, IMD/IML (In-Mold Decoration/In-Mold Labeling) in-mold injection, nano-silver touch control, gravure texture printing, and multiple other routes. They can adapt to various interior materials such as wood grain, metal, leather, and fabric. The product layout is as follows:
III. Implementation of Surface Projection: Projecting Information onto Interior Surfaces such as Door Panels and Instrument Panels
Along with the design wave of "eliminating physical screens and adopting integrated minimalist interiors" in cockpits, in-vehicle surface projection has become a core technical branch of hidden smart surfaces. The core logic is to eliminate independent physical displays and directly project images, light and shadow, and prompt information onto native interior surfaces such as door panels, instrument panels, and headliners through projection modules, balancing the integrity of interior materials and dynamic interactive capabilities.
Representative Model of Dynamic Surface Projection in Smart Interiors: Cupra Raval (a model under CUPRA, the high-performance sub-brand of the Volkswagen Group)
In April 2026, the Cupra Raval was released, with in-vehicle door panels equipped with DLP side projection lighting technology. This DLP projection technology miniaturizes automotive-grade DLP optical engines and innovatively adopts a side projection optical path: the projection modules are hidden on both sides of the instrument panel, and the light is optimized by the optical system and projected sideways onto the special material surface of the door panel trim strips, forming uniform and dynamic surface light and shadow.
Compared with traditional LED light strips (point/line light sources, dispersed light effects, single colors), DLP projection has three core advantages:
Surface light source presentation: Breaking through the limitations of points and lines, it forms a complete light and shadow surface on the door panel. The light effect is uniform without dark areas, the contrast is more than 5 times that of traditional LEDs, and the color saturation is higher;
Dynamic interactive capability: The flipping speed of the micromirrors reaches the microsecond level, supporting smooth animations at over 60fps. It can change light effects and patterns in real time according to driving modes, music rhythms, and vehicle status;
Hidden layout: The optical engine is completely hidden within the interior structure with no exposed light sources, maintaining the simplicity of the interior and achieving a premium feel of "light appearing with the object."
In terms of suppliers, manufacturers involved in in-vehicle surface projection include Appotronics and FORVIA.
The front-row smart surface launched by Appotronics uses micro-projection equipment to project required content onto the smart surface in front of the passenger seat without the need for additional physical displays. This effectively saves in-vehicle space, making the interior layout more concise and spacious. Clear and accurate projection effects can be achieved on both flat and curved surfaces.
FORVIA's self-developed AirVision floating 3D projection display system abandons traditional physical screens and directly generates floating 3D images on the instrument panel surface. The optical design makes the content appear to float in the air without physical support, innovatively integrating the display, lighting, interior surface, and architecture. This technology is expected to reach mass production in 2027, initially equipped in luxury passenger vehicles.
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