Samsung Display, LG Display unveil next-generation tech for robots and future vehicles at K-Display 2026

Samsung Display and LG Display unveiled a wave of next-generation technologies targeting humanoid robots and future vehicles Wednesday at Korea's largest display industry exhibition.

Amid a surge in AI demand accelerating technological evolution across the display sector, both companies showcased products featuring innovative form factors, signaling their determination to stay ahead of Chinese rivals.

Lee Cheong, president of Samsung Display and chairman of the Korea Display Industry Association, said at the opening ceremony of K-Display 2026 at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, that AI's spread is rapidly creating new markets in areas the industry had not previously focused on. "Smart glasses, AI edge devices and humanoid robots — new markets in areas that were not our main focus are opening up fast with the spread of AI," he said.

He added that a new era of prosperity for Korean displays would begin when bold investment by large companies and innovative technology from materials, components and equipment firms come together under active government support. "When that happens, K-Display's new prosperity will begin," he said.

Samsung Display made its public debut at the exhibition with a prototype vehicle center fascia display — the control panel between the driver and front passenger seats — featuring an 80mm "Big Hole." The product uses HIAA (Hole in Active Area) technology, which creates an opening within the display's active screen area.

The gear-shift dial and air-conditioning vents can be fitted directly into the hole, enabling a more seamless vehicle interior design. In 2019, Samsung Display became the first in the industry to commercialize HIAA technology by creating a 5mm hole for a camera module in a smartphone display, and the new prototype marks a significant leap forward eight years later.

A Samsung Display official said the company applied precision thin-film technology to prevent the OLED organic materials around the hole's edge and cut sections from coming into contact with moisture and air, and developed circuit designs optimized for the characteristics of each signal to maintain image quality and driving stability in the surrounding area.

The company also made its first public showing of a humanoid robot display built on a 6.9-inch OLED panel and an "OLED Companion AI Toy" featuring a 1.3-inch circular OLED. The OLED display, which serves as the robot's face, conveys expressions and status, demonstrating new possibilities for display technology. The OLED Companion AI Toy takes the form of a keyring-style character doll with a circular OLED embedded in it, adding an emotional dimension to the concept.

LG Display made its domestic debut with a P (plastic)-OLED display solution targeting the humanoid robot market. P-OLED is thin and lightweight while delivering superior image quality, and operates reliably in extreme conditions ranging from minus 30 degrees Celsius to 85 degrees Celsius.

LG Display first applied the technology to automotive displays before expanding into IT applications. Some say the panel is also the optimal display solution for humanoid robots.

LG Display also made its first public showing of a 27-inch 5K OLED panel representing the highest specifications available for office monitors. The new product targets a wide range of professional environments, from graphic design to stock trading and medical applications. It delivers a resolution of 220 pixels per inch and uses an RGB (red, green, blue) stripe structure to render colors more vividly and without blurring.

The panel, positioned to replace conventional liquid crystal displays in the premium monitor market and considered the optimal technology for rendering high-performance AI content, received the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award at the exhibition.