LG Electronics Creates Next-Gen Transparent Antenna For Cars

As per the reports from ZD Net Korea and Seoul Economic Daily, LG recently declared that it will be collaborating with the international automotive glass company Saint-Gobain Sekurit to showcase a transparent antenna to automakers.

A communication environment that can transmit large amounts of data in real time has become more and more important as the automobile market moves toward software-defined vehicles (SDV), where a variety of content can be enjoyed. Transparent antennas are a new communication technology that is gaining popularity.

Thin film antennas embedded in glass are called transparent antennas. Together, the two businesses have created two kinds of modular antennas—on-glass and in-glass—that can be used in different car and glass designs.

The transparent antenna has an advantage over traditional shark-fin antennas in that it can be expanded to fit multiple glass surfaces of vehicles. Its dimensions can be changed to meet the needs of automakers.

Even with higher communication volumes, it guarantees continuous connectivity by supporting a variety of communication techniques, including GPS, satellite, and 5G.

Transparent antennas can also be used on glass sunroofs and help realize streamlined designs because they don't have protruding parts like shark-fin antennas.

LG obtained over 80 patents for transparent antenna R&D, including antenna transparency design and transparent electrode material technology. Its collaboration with Saint-Gobain Sekurit to develop operational processes for incorporating transparent antennas into glass has improved the product's completeness.

The head of LG's Vehicle Solutions (VS) division, Eun Seok-hyun, announced that transparent antennas have passed the real vehicle verification and are recognized for their unique communication performance thanks to a strategic partnership with Saint-Gobain Sekurit.

LG wants to increase its market share in automotive communication components, especially in areas like remote data processing, so it is entering the automotive antenna business. With a market share of 23.8% in the third quarter of 2023, LG is expected to hold the top position in the automotive communication module remote data processing market, according to estimates provided by market research firm Strategy Analytics.