"Active Application of Extended Reality Technology in the Automotive Industry... Preparing for Growth in Related Industries"

AR HUD, Rearview Camera and Other Extended Reality (ER) Products Emerging
Global Automakers Also Utilizing in Production and Maintenance Fields
"Automotive, Materials, Display and Related Industries Must Collaborate"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] As the integration of extended reality (ER) technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) becomes more active in the automotive industry, there are calls for South Korea to prepare for the growth of related industries.

On the 15th, the Korea Automotive Technology Institute released a report titled "Trends in the Use of Extended Reality Technologies in the Automotive Industry," emphasizing the need to prepare for the growth of the ER industry.

ER technologies such as AR and VR are being actively applied not only in existing IT and electronic device sectors but also in the automotive field. Representative ER technology products gaining attention include AR head-up displays (HUD) and rearview cameras, which are user experience (UX) improvement products designed to assist drivers with more convenient driving.

According to the global research firm Markets and Markets, the worldwide HUD market is expected to grow from $1.3 billion last year to $4.6 billion by 2025. Hyundai Motor Group, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen have recently applied AR technology to enhance the usability of HUDs.

Hologram and AR technologies are also being used in automotive production and maintenance. Toyota is attempting to utilize mixed reality (MR) technology, which projects 3D images and holograms onto actual vehicles, for production, maintenance, and training. Mercedes-Benz announced a solution last October that allows technicians to share visual information based on 3D images and holograms with remotely connected experts while working. Volkswagen has been piloting AR-applied smart glasses in factories since 2015.

ER is expected to be utilized not only in steering wheel products, rear windows, and sunroof products for enhancing infotainment and UX related to autonomous driving activation but also in service differentiation such as the vehicle purchase decision-making stage. The Korea Automotive Technology Institute explained that it is highly likely that ER services will emerge where automakers provide model-specific information or enable comparisons with competitor models using smart glasses in both online and offline showrooms.

To lead the related industry, Korea must develop collaborative technologies in materials and optical content fields and establish production and training platforms based on ER, the Korea Automotive Technology Institute pointed out. A representative from the institute explained, "To apply displays to car windows, it is essential to develop technology through collaboration among automotive, materials, and optical fields because high visibility and stringent reliability standards of Automotive Grade must be met."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.