LG Electronics, Corning join hands to develop curved glass for vehicles

LG Electronics and Corning said Wednesday that they have agreed to jointly develop a glass solution for curved displays for vehicles.

The two companies will seek buyers of the display products among premium European automakers by combining automotive electronics technology and auto glass-making expertise.

Of late, automakers are increasing their investment to provide new and immersive user-driving experiences. In particular, high-end carmakers in Europe are putting curved displays, which combine an instrument panel cluster and a center stack display, into vehicles they assemble.

LG Electronics, which has thus far focused on expanding the experience of in-vehicle infotainment (IVN) systems, applied Corning's patented ColdForm technology to enhance and refine in-vehicle connectivity while minimizing carbon emissions and improving cost-effectiveness.

ColdForm technology has been shown to have a 25% lower carbon footprint than conventional thermoformed curved glass production processes and a reduction of 14.5 million kg of carbon dioxide emissions per million square feet of glass.

ColdForm is a technology that forms glass at room temperature, and molding is performed at the final stage of the module assembly process of LG Electronics and its partner firms.

"The desire for user-friendly in-vehicle connectivity based on state-of-the-art interior design requires innovative products and processes," adding, "We are excited to partner with Corning to lead the industry by introducing unparalleled innovations that allow curved display modules that would improve performance and user experience while at the same time reaching our sustainability goals," said Eun Seok-hyun, LG Electronics head of vehicle component solutions.

Write to Sungsu Bae at baebae@hankyung.com