[IAA 2023] Samsung and LG Seriously Committed to 'Cars'... Full Effort in Electric Components at Motor Show Participation

IAA 2023 Side-by-Side Launch
Samsung Electronics, Display, and SDI Booths Set Up
LG Electronics President Jo Joo-wan Introduces Automotive Business Vision at Conference

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have entered the European largest motor show, 'IAA Mobility 2023,' showcasing their automotive electric and electronic equipment technologies. This move reflects their aggressive stance toward the rapidly growing future mobility market.

Held from the 5th to the 10th (local time) in Munich, Germany, IAA is a platform where global automakers and suppliers unveil the latest technologies and share the future of mobility. Although domestic automakers Hyundai Motor Company and Kia did not participate this year, Samsung and LG Electronics, which are driving their automotive electronics businesses, filled the gap.

Samsung Electronics unveiled a concept car incorporating semiconductor technology at 'IAA 2023,' which opened on the 5th (local time).
[Photo by Han Yeju]

Samsung's Three Companies Set Up Large Booths... Showcasing Automotive Semiconductors and Batteries

Samsung Electronics organized booths together with its affiliates, including the DS Division, which handles semiconductor business, Samsung SDI, and Samsung Display. The three Samsung companies each set up large booths in the center of Hall B1, known as the prime spot of the motor show, and showcased advanced automotive electronics technologies.

First, Samsung Electronics introduced automotive semiconductor solutions such as memory, system LSI, foundry, and LED (light-emitting diode). They unveiled a lineup of memory semiconductors with high performance, low power consumption, and reliability, including LPDDR5X and GDDR7. They also introduced premium infotainment processors like the Exynos Auto V920 and automotive image sensor ISOCELL Auto 1H1. Additionally, LED lighting solutions optimized for future electric and autonomous vehicles were exhibited.

Samsung Display highlighted the competitiveness of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology. They also unveiled innovative products with various form factors, including the multi-foldable product 'Flex S,' rollable, and slidable displays.

Samsung Display highlighted the competitiveness of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology that is clearly visible even in dark environments at 'IAA 2023'.
[Photo by Han Yeju]

Samsung SDI showcased future electric vehicle battery products and held the 'Tech & Career (T&C) Forum' to attract top talent from Europe. Notably, Samsung SDI CEO Yoon-ho Choi personally participated to observe market trends and hold meetings with major European clients. CEO Choi stated, "We will closely cooperate with key European clients to supply batteries with the highest quality and safety for electric vehicles running in Europe."

LG Electronics Participates as a Sponsor Without Exhibition Space... Declares Automotive Electronics Vision 'Alpha-able'

LG Electronics participated in IAA as a sponsor without an exhibition space. Particularly, it attracted industry attention by holding a press conference for the first time among IT companies. Adding significance, LG Electronics President Ju-wan Cho appeared as the first speaker at a conference traditionally led by automotive industry CEOs.

LG Electronics redefined the car as a 'personalized digital space' and presented the automotive electronics vision called 'Alpha-able,' meaning enabling everything in the mobility space. Alpha-able is a concept combining three future mobility customer experience themes: a freely transformable experience tailored to customer needs (Transformable), an explorative experience newly enjoyed through content such as XR and webOS (Explorable), and a more comfortable relaxation experience inside the vehicle (Relaxable).

LG Electronics President Jo Joo-wan is introducing the future mobility customer experience theme 'Alpha-able' at the 'IAA 2023' press conference held in Munich, Germany on the 4th (local time).
[Photo by LG Electronics]

Currently, LG Electronics is expanding its automotive electronics business centered on three pillars: automotive infotainment systems (VS Business Division), electric vehicle powertrains (LG Magna e-Powertrain), and automotive lighting systems (ZKW).

LG Magna e-Powertrain also announced plans to establish a new production base in Europe. The new factory will be located in Miskolc, northeastern Hungary, with a total floor area of 26,000 square meters.

LG Magna Global Factory Status.
[Photo by LG Magna]

Regarding the growing automotive electronics business, some have speculated about a spin-off, but President Cho drew a line on this. He said, "We do not have such thoughts at this time," adding, "I don't know why such rumors are circulating, but perhaps because the automotive electronics business is doing so well, people suggest going out to do even better."

The possibility of automotive electronics M&A remains open. President Cho explained, "We are continuously looking for M&A targets," and "We are focusing on software aspects, including content, beyond the current three pillars."

The reason Samsung and LG are putting effort into the motor show is the growth potential of the automotive electronics business. Market research firm Strategy Analytics (SA) announced that the global automotive electronics market size will reach $400 billion (about 520 trillion KRW) in 2024 and $700 billion (about 911 trillion KRW) in 2028.

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