Zhongqiang Optoelectronics: A new world of vehicle-mounted virtual and real integration

The smart cockpit achieves active interaction through the fusion of multiple sensor data such as identity recognition and vision. Zhongqiang Optoelectronics will start from the core, cooperate across domains, and end with software.

On July 11-12, 2023, at the 2023 Smart Cockpit Vehicle Display and Perception Conference co-sponsored by Gasgoo and Munich Electronics Show, Wang Shuping, general manager of the China Business Group of Zhongqiang Optoelectronics Group, said that Zhongqiang Optoelectronics was established in 1992. " Provider of  innovative display system integration solutions", it is the first to develop and mass-produce the world's smallest and lightest VGA single-chip LCD projector and XGA DLP projector, while integrating light, machinery, electricity, heat, materials and precision mold processes. The smart cockpit achieves active interaction through the fusion of multiple sensor data such as identity recognition and vision. Zhongqiang Optoelectronics will start from the core, cooperate across domains, and end with software.

Wang Shuping | General Manager of China Business Group, Zhongqiang Optoelectronics Group

The following is the summary of the speech:

Application of virtual and real integration of smart car screens

Zhongqiang Optoelectronics is a new entrant in the automotive field, but it has been focusing on the display field. Since its establishment in 1992, it has gone through thirty-one years of development, accumulated more than 2,000 intellectual property rights, has 14,000 employees worldwide, and has annual sales of approximately 13.8 billion.

Since 2012, Zhongqiang Optoelectronics has been focusing on panels and projectors. Before 2012, the cooperation between backlight module and panel manufacturers made DLP projectors reach the world's leading level. Previously, panel manufacturers were committed to expanding their product range, with clearer resolutions and higher brightness. At the same time, screens are still indispensable in areas such as homes and cultural travel projects.

The integration of virtual and real in smart car screen applications, from the layout in 2017 to the establishment of the China headquarters this year, we officially released the solution for the integration of virtual and real in the car market and launched the group's 1+N+1 strategy. Zhongqiang Optoelectronics has a R&D team of more than 3,000 people and has organized solution business groups and subsidiaries such as optical, mechanical, electrical, thermal, and materials. In order to reduce development time, different display departments such as optical, mechanical, electrical, and thermal are divided into multiple Each small department, under the leadership of the group, quickly integrates and responds to customer needs, and will also build a complete automotive supply chain.

What we are doing is not just a simple display , but looking for more differentiation. From component manufacturing to optical films, we have unique patents and technologies. For injection molded parts, light guide plates are used to make tail trim strips. Currently, many colleagues in the industry are approaching this technology, and there will be no major problems in the supply of automotive LCD modules. Our advantage is that while matching different panels, we also have different backlight module technologies.

Source: Speaker materials

So all options have value, and we've expanded from mods to semi-mods. Prior to this, we have developed the first 48-inch bar screen, which is of great significance to us. LCDs in projection technology are matched to the size required by customers. The small light machine introduced from AR is similar in size to the head-mounted device and can be used in the automotive field. We also have a special optical film attached to the skylight to form a projection film, which will become a larger screen under the display of the projector.

From 2019 to 2023, the development of V2X outside the car will drive sensing components and display applications integrated outside the car. We have cooperated with car manufacturers both outside and inside the car. In addition to holographic projection and 3D holographic film, we will also add AI technology to it, which will be very beneficial to our overall layout.

Zhongqiang Optoelectronics’ advantages and future layout

As a century-old complex industry, automobiles hope to adopt an open attitude and share products with colleagues in the industry to achieve symbiosis and win-win through complementation. I think SoC is a "strong heart", so Zhongqiang Optoelectronics will conduct cross-field cooperation with chip manufacturers, and cooperate with car manufacturers, Tier1 and different parts manufacturers to jointly create a more creative automotive market. Software-defined cars will be an irreversible development trend in the future, so we must follow the trend and move forward.

At present, virtual screens are widely used, and their advantages are that they take up less space and are easy to install. Therefore, although virtual projection has made "small progress", it has also expanded to large-size projection, such as AR-HUD, physical parts, light decorative panels and various different screens. We are currently producing all displays in smart cockpits.

In the early stage of technology development with car companies, we consider using the bottom layer of the chip for planning and cost control. In terms of product delivery integration, we can integrate system-level product lines and provide components as well as a complete set of optical display product delivery to simplify customer supply chain management to the greatest extent. complexity. In terms of experience interaction and integration, the vehicle's light display equipment is too diverse and requires an integrated experience. It can cooperate with car companies to provide a variety of light display products for testing and integration at the beginning of product planning. The situation is undergoing major changes that have not been seen in a century, and we also hope to seek greater development opportunities amidst the transformation of the automobile industry in its century.

The biggest advantage of Zhongqiang Optoelectronics is that it has established a global company. In addition to its headquarters in China, it also has branches in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Southeast Asia, so it will also export smart vehicle products overseas. Our cooperation model is relatively open. In June this year, our vehicle-mounted light display series products made their debut at the Suzhou Exhibition and won the Innovation Award. We look forward to multi-faceted and comprehensive cooperation with car manufacturers, Tier1, etc. in the future.