LG Display develops invisible speaker for automobiles

South Korea's LG Display on Monday said it has developed an in-vehicle sound solution that uses screen vibrations to produce sound, and that the device is slated for commercial release in the first half of next year.

Conventional speakers tend to be large and heavy with many parts such as vibration, support and magnetic systems, but the Thin Actuator Sound Solution uses a film-type exciter (vibration-generating device) technology developed by the company to create sound that vibrates off a vehicle's display panel or interior materials as a diaphragm. The device is small, thin and light at the size of a passport 150 mm by 90 mm and its 40g weight is similar to that of the 2.5 mm 500 won ($0.37) coin.

"This product is 30% lighter and 10% thinner than a conventional car speaker," an LG Display source said. "The drastic reduction in speaker space means more freedom for interior design."

Unlike regular speakers with fidelity that varies depending on a vehicle's boarding position, the solution has a stereophonic sound effect, the company said. "The uniformity of sound to each seat is superior to that of vehicles with existing mass-produced speakers, and a global sound certification agency says the sound clarity and tone are at premium levels," an LG Display source said.

Another advantage of the new device is that it can be placed in places where installation is difficult such as the ceiling, pillar, dashboard and headrest. The company emphasized the superiority of the product's eco-friendliness as it contains no rare earth minerals such as neodymium, a key component of conventional speakers.

From Jan. 1-5, 2023 LG Display will unveil its groundbreaking solution to global audio companies at CES 2023, the world's largest exhibition of IT and consumer electronics in Las Vegas. The device recently received high ratings from the Hopewell, Virginia-based Consumer Technology Association of the US in space creation, design, fidelity and eco-friendliness and the CES 2023 Innovation Award for In-vehicle Entertainment and Safety.

Yeo Jun-ho, LG Display vice president and head of the Business Development Division, said, "We have innovated large and heavy speakers in space, design and eco-friendliness to produce innovative speakers with high fidelity sound," adding, "Our goal is a new and unprecedented sound experience in a vehicle."

Write to Sungsu Bae at baebae@hankyung.com