Not content with reigning over the world of OLED TVs, LG could well revolutionize car audio and car speakers. That’s what the new LG Thin Actuator Sound Solution technology, awarded the CES 2023 Innovation Award, suggests. But what is this technology?
Conventional drivers are bulky and heavy because of the voice coil, cone and magnet. This limits the integration to a few spots inside the vehicle. They are most often placed in the doors, on the dashboard or on the rear shelf.
The Thin Actuator Sound Solution is so thin and light that it could change the way in which in-car audio systems are designed.
This technology allows the display panels and other materials inside the cabin to vibrate and become acoustic membranes. Does this sound familiar? A similar process is used by Sony on its OLED TVs: the Acoustic Surface Audio technology. Equipping the Sony A80J, Sony A90J, Sony A90K and Sony A95K ranges, it turns the TV screen into a real speaker.
The Thin Actuator Sound Solution from LG Display comes in the form of a small panel barely larger than a passport. It is 15cm long, 9cm wide, 2.5mm thick and weighs only 40g. This is only 30% of the weight and 10% of the thickness of a typical car speaker. Its compact size and innovative form factor allow it to be installed in various parts of the car: the dashboard, headliner, pillars and headrests could deliver sound inside the vehicle. All passengers will be able to enjoy a more direct sound diffusion. It would also simplify the deployment of Dolby Atmos audio systems in vehicles.
This technology eliminates the need for speaker grilles and frees up the space normally occupied by the car’s speakers. All this without compromising sound quality. In addition, LG Display excludes the use of rare-earth metals such as the neodymium found in many conventional drivers. Making this new audio technology more environmentally friendly.
The Thin Actuator Sound Solution received the CES 2023 Innovation Award in the In-Vehicle Entertainment & Safety category. The Consumer Technology Association praised its space efficiency, innovative design, innovative sound experience and environmental friendliness. At CES 2023, LG Display is set to officially introduce the Thin Actuator Sound Solution, developed in conjunction with a world-renowned audio company. This innovative solution will be commercialized in the first half of 2023.
“We have transformed the classically heavy and bulky speaker into a high-quality “invisible” sound solution by using our advanced technology to improve space, design and environmental factors and deliver a high-level sound experience like never before,” said Yeo Chun-ho, vice president and head of the business development division at LG Display.
Is this the end of Focal, JBL and MTX car speakers? Only time will tell…
