LG Display introduced new “invisible” speaker technology for cars. The flat panel system can be easily placed almost anywhere in the vehicle, even on instrument panels, as well as headrests.
Developed by the South Korean tech giant as a direct alternative to traditional speakers in vehicles, the Slim Actuator Sound Solution system eliminates the usual protruding voice coils, cones and magnets found in most speakers and instead uses a film-like excitation membrane.
These are designed to make the panels and various materials inside the car vibrate with the sound they produce, which LG claims can produce a “rich, 3D immersive sound experience.”
According to LG, the panels only measure 5.9 x 3.5 in; most importantly, it’s only a tenth of an inch thick and weighs as light as a feather at 1.4 ounces “without compromising sound quality.”
This slim design means the speakers can be placed almost anywhere inside a vehicle; The technology giant suggests that they can be hidden inside headrests and instrument panels, as well as headliners and pillars.
The flat speaker system appears to be based on CSO (Cinematic Sound OLED), which LG Display demonstrates on an OLED TV, which the display panel uses to produce sound without the need for dedicated speakers. A similar innovative vibrating panel system is also used in Sony’s high-end TVs, including the Sony A95K.
LG Display says it expects the speakers to begin appearing in new vehicle interiors in the first half of next year, and could be experienced by the public for the first time when the technology was showcased at CES 2023 in Las Vegas in January.
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