2022 Mercedes EQS EV comes with LG's flexible OLED

The 2022 models of Mercedes-Benz AG's electric vehicle EQS will be equipped with infotainment systems co-developed with LG Electronics Inc., the South Korean company said on Thursday.

The in-vehicle infotainment systems are based on LG's organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays with a plastic substrate, which is flexible enough to be freely bent or folded.

The dashboard for the premium electric car boasts a curved screen to provide panoramic views. It also has a bigger monitor than the previous models to accommodate chips used in the in-vehicle systems. 

The latest infotainment systems are designed to simultaneously operate three monitors: a dashboard, a center information display and a co-driver display. The driver and the front-seat passenger are able to use the monitors in front of them independently with the touch of a button.

Buoyed by the news, shares in LG Electronics spiked up 6.20% at 145,500 won by Thursday’s close, against a 0.35% slip in the broader Kospi market.

LG Electronics, the world's largest manufacturer of OLED TVs, has been expanding its cooperation with Mercedes-Bez.

After seven years of collaboration on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) camera technology, the German premium carmaker used LG's ADAS camera module for its 2021 C-Class sedans rolled out globally late last year.

It was LG’s first supply of the component to an automaker. An ADAS front camera, usually tucked between the windshield and the rear-view mirror, is a core part that increases safety by collecting and processing traffic information surrounding the vehicle.

LG Electronics is developing infotainment, connectivity and ADAS systems with the goal of becoming a global top-tier automotive chipmaker. Connectivity systems communicate with other computer systems, electronic devices and the internet.

In November last year, LG Electronics was awarded for best hardware development of the year at the annual AutoSens Awards for its front multipurpose camera technology. 

At the global awards, LG was also named a joint winner together with Mercedes-Benz in the 2020 Vision Award category for the ADAS camera module.

(Updated with the share price of LG Electronics)

Write to Shin-Young Park at nyusos@hankyung.com
Yeonhee Kim edited this article.