On July 9, Tianma Microelectronics announced the successful lighting of a 7-inch Micro LED automotive standard product.
Image source: Tianma Microelectronics
It is reported that the product is based on TFT-based glass backplate and Micro LED pixel technology, with a high light transmittance of 61%, a brightness of up to 1700 nits, a color gamut of NTSC > 120%, a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1, and a microsecond-level response speed. It is suitable for automotive display applications and solves the problem of traditional automotive screens obstructing the driver's view. Drivers can view road conditions and simultaneously obtain navigation and other information through the screen.
Furthermore, the product supports modular design, allowing for free horizontal and vertical splicing, adapting to single-screen scenarios such as HUD head-up displays and central control screens, as well as multi-screen combination needs such as panoramic HUD systems. Looking ahead, this product will also accelerate the application of Micro LED in high-end markets such as automotive and transparent displays.
Tianma stated that the lighting of the new product is the result of the company's technological accumulation in the Micro LED field. It represents that its G3.5 Micro LED production line has achieved full process integration, overcome core technologies such as backplane driving, mass transfer, and testing and repair, and realized a closed loop of the entire process of chip, packaging, and module, and the production capacity can be rapidly ramped up.
According to reports, Tianma started its Micro LED technology development in 2017 and established a Micro LED Research Institute in Xiamen.
Leveraging its industry advantages in the panel sector, Tianma is advancing the development of Micro LED-related applications using glass-based LTPS technology. Its technology portfolio covers multiple fields including public information displays (PID), automotive displays, transparent displays, wearable devices, and AR, with PID, automotive displays, and transparent displays being key development areas.
In December 2024, Tianma's G3.5 generation Micro LED production line, built with an investment of 1.1 billion yuan, achieved full-process integration. During the project construction, Tianma collaborated with upstream and downstream companies in the supply chain to develop more than 30 key mass-production equipment and materials, driven by its independent core technologies, and achieved the smooth integration of the production line.
What is the progress of Micro LED automotive displays in the first half of 2025?
In recent years, Micro LED technology has gradually penetrated the automotive market. In the field of automotive lighting, Micro LED has been applied to many high-end mass-produced models.
For example, the all-new Audi Q3, released in June this year, is equipped with Micro LED headlights, consisting of 25,600 Micro LED bulbs. In addition, models such as the Porsche Cayenne, NIO ET9, Volkswagen Tiguan L Pro, and the top-of-the-line Touareg also feature Micro LED headlights. The application of Micro LED headlights brings safer and smarter automotive lighting to these vehicles.
Compared to automotive lighting applications, the development of Micro LED applications in automotive displays has been somewhat slower. Automakers prefer mature LCD and OLED technologies, while Micro LED, which is still under development, is only in the planning stage, with few actual mass-produced vehicle applications.
However, as the automotive industry continues to develop towards electrification, intelligence, connectivity, and sharing, Micro LED technology, with its characteristics of high brightness, high contrast, transparency, and flexibility, is expected to gain more favor from automakers in the future automotive display field.
Therefore, despite limited demand in the end-market, LED and panel manufacturers are still actively developing Micro LED automotive display technology.
At various exhibitions this year, panel manufacturers such as Tianma, BOE, Innolux, AUO, and TCL CSOT have showcased their latest Micro LED automotive display application solutions. These solutions cover applications including head-up displays, central control displays, panoramic sunroofs, and car windows, demonstrating the versatility of Micro LED technology in the automotive display field.
According to the "2025 Global Automotive LED Market - Lighting and Display Product Trends" report, the demand for Micro LED automotive displays is expected to increase in the future. Considering driving needs, utilizing Micro LED technology, which features high brightness, high contrast, wide color gamut, and fast response speed, and integrating it with smart cockpit integrated automotive display solutions such as irregular shapes, curved surfaces, flexible designs, and haptic feedback, can comprehensively upgrade the driving experience.
In the future, through close cooperation among automakers, system integrators, panel manufacturers, driver IC manufacturers, and Micro LED manufacturers, Micro LED technology will usher in a new era for the next generation of automotive display market.
