The ‘Hyper’ Innovative Vehicle Solution Shaping the Future of Mobility
-
-
Similar Topics
-
LG Establishes New Air Solution R&D Lab in Europe, Strengthening HVAC Business Localization StrategyBy News Reporter
New Facility to Focus on Development of Innovative HVAC Solutions
Tailored to Europe’s Diverse Regional Climates
SEOUL, July 15, 2024 — LG Electronics (LG) is establishing a new Air Solution Research and Development (R&D) Lab in Frankfurt, Germany. The state-of-the-art facility will join existing LG Air Solution Labs in Changwon, South Korea; and Atlanta, Georgia, USA, to form a global R&D triangle.
The new 10,000-square-foot lab will focus primarily on developing high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions for Europe’s varied local climates. Research and testing will be carried out on a wide range of residential and light commercial HVAC systems, including heat pumps, energy monitoring systems and energy management platforms. Through executing an extensive, locally-focused R&D program, the Frankfurt lab will reinforce LG’s ability to provide HVAC solutions tailored for the European market.
Additionally, the new lab will collaborate with the company’s recently launched European Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research to develop heat pumps that can reliably deliver top-tier heating performance during Northern Europe’s harsh winters. To strengthen the capabilities of its European HVAC business, LG plans to nurture and actively recruit local talent in fields such as heat pump design and smart home technology.
A major focus for LG, the European HVAC market is expected to see significant growth in the coming years due to the European Union’s (EU) far-reaching energy policies. These include the REPowerEU* plan, which aims to reduce energy consumption, diversify energy supply, expand renewable energy sources and decrease dependence on fossil fuels by 2030. Moreover, the EU-led Green Deal policy targets significant reductions in carbon emissions by 2030, with further reductions by 2040, to achieve a carbon-neutral society by 2050.
The EU’s energy policies have significantly increased the demand for high-efficiency electrical products, particularly high-efficiency heat pump heating and cooling systems. These systems offer reduced carbon emissions compared to conventional fossil-fuel-driven solutions.
LG’s HVAC solutions, including ultra-efficient heat pumps, are highly competitive due to the company’s advanced core component technology, or core tech. LG develops and manufactures key components such as compressors and motors, essential for air conditioning products and a variety of other appliances. The company also proactively invests in R&D to continuously enhance its industry-leading technologies, including heat exchangers, inverters and heat pumps.
To drive B2B growth and increase management efficacy, LG’s HVAC business is developing a comprehensive local system encompassing all operational areas, from R&D and sales to maintenance and customer service. As part of this initiative, LG has expanded its network of HVAC academies to 62 locations in 43 countries across North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia, training over 30,000 HVAC engineers annually.
“Along with developing differentiated HVAC solutions tailored to Europe’s regional climates, our new Air Solution R&D Lab in Frankfurt will support our ongoing global efforts in decarbonization and electrification,” said James Lee, head of the Air Solution Business Unit at LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company. “LG will continue to strengthen its HVAC leadership in Europe and globally.”
# # #
* The EU’s REPowerEU plan has decreased gas consumption by 18 percent, and dependence on Russian fossil fuels has dropped from 45 percent in 2021 to 15 percent in 2023. ( link hidden, please login to view)
-
By News Reporter
As the mobility industry shifts towards software-defined vehicles (SDVs), the importance of automotive displays continues to grow. Advanced display technology is already enhancing in-car infotainment systems and user experiences by presenting drivers with a wealth of vehicle and road-related information, while offering passengers an array of entertaining content.
The trend of incorporating larger and more numerous displays within vehicles, often referred to as ‘screenification,’ is elevating the convenience, safety and enjoyment of vehicle occupants, while also influencing vehicle cabin design. OLED panels, known for their superior image quality and unmatched flexibility (both literally and in terms of design), are increasingly being adopted in the premium auto segment.
Market research firm Omdia projects that by 2030, one out of every two information display units used in premium vehicles will be an OLED panel. Several global automakers are now equipping their high-end models with large, high-resolution displays to meet customers’ evolving expectations and preferences. With their stunning colors, clarity and contrast, OLED panels are raising the bar for automotive displays and are expected to drive the market’s continued expansion.
OLED technology makes it possible to create large, curved and flexible screens for use in digital cockpits. In response to the auto industry’s increasing interest in premium displays, the R&D laboratory at LG’s Vehicle component Solutions (VS) Company has recently developed an algorithm for its in-vehicle OLED displays that compensates for any visual distortion related to viewing angle. This advanced technology, first showcased at Display Week 2024, ensures that LG’s automotive OLED screens deliver consistent brightness and distortion-free colors from practically any angle. As a result, drivers can now see images and text more clearly across all parts of the display, enhancing safety by reducing the time needed to check on-screen information.
LG’s new technology overcomes the viewing-angle limitations typically associated with large, curved OLED displays. Currently, LG is the only automotive display supplier to have developed an algorithm that corrects these particular issues and is now in the process of commercializing this innovation.
Research into flexible OLED automotive displays has been a major focus for LG VS Company’s R&D laboratory over the past year. Kim Kyung-lack, vice president of Display Development at LG VS Company, noted that due to extensive and ongoing efforts, LG is able to offer a wide range of automotive displays leveraging next-generation technology to deliver outstanding performance. Since 2022, LG has been developing advanced in-vehicle displays and now boasts an impressive portfolio of solutions, including screens with rollable, flexible and foldable form factors. The company’s diverse offerings provide automakers with more choices when designing vehicle interiors and offer vehicle users a richer, more varied in-car experience.
Beyond automotive displays and components such as EV motors and smart lamps, LG VS Company offers cutting-edge in-vehicle software platforms and solutions. This software integrates seamlessly with the company’s display products to form a complete in-car experience solution, adding significant value for automakers seeking to enhance the functionality of their existing infotainment systems.
Through its innovative solutions for vehicles, LG is accelerating the arrival of the SDV era and playing a leading role in redefining the future of mobility.
To learn more about LG’s advanced automotive display products, visit
link hidden, please login to view. # # #
-
By News Reporter
Steadfastly embracing its mantra of ‘Life’s Good,’ LG believes that its products are more than the sum of their parts. That’s why the company is constantly innovating cutting-edge products which can help it shape a world where exceptional value is the norm and a smarter, more convenient life is accessible to everyone. These efforts bring LG one step closer to realizing a Better Life for All.
Since 2020, LG has been exploring new business opportunities to innovate the customer experience, leveraging the ideas, experiences and skills of its members through its in-house venture and company-in-company system.
In line with this commitment, LG has fostered a work environment that encourages employees to embrace new challenges, exemplified by last year’s launch of ‘STUDIO341.’ This initiative’s primary mission is to identify and foster internal ventures that encapsulate the spirit of challenge and innovation, the very spirit that has driven LG’s transformation from its humble beginnings as Goldstar in 1958 to a global powerhouse.
Designed with the Brave Optimist mindset, this initiative is tailored for company executives and employees based in Korea. The sole criterion? A creative idea that can solve a problem worth solving and provide a new experience to customers.
The five most outstanding ideas were selected for spin-off. Let’s delve into them.
MASKIT Founder Bae Ho-yeon
MASKIT: Secure & Queue-Free Concert Ticketing Solution
In response to the constraints of traditional concert hall ticketing systems, MASKIT collaborated with customer experience specialists at LG to create a system that allows customers to verify their identity at home and gain entry to a venue without enduring long queues. MASKIT also encrypts all the personal data it collects, ensuring consistent user protection.
This solution provides concert-goers an unprecedented level of convenience, while enabling concert organizers to achieve significant cost efficiencies. MASKIT’s ambition is to roll out this ticketing solution to large concert halls and entertainment companies nationwide, while evolving into a comprehensive culture and arts solution that utilizes personal data in the most secure manner possible.
X UP Founder Lee Yong-soo
X UP: Smart Sensor-based Golf Course Green Management Solution
X UP offers a robotic turf maintenance solution that manages golf courses by analyzing turf data via heat maps. The unpredictability and unknown causes of turf damage make it difficult to prevent, often necessitating repairs after the damage has occurred. However, X UP allows golf courses to shift from physical repairs to a data-driven preventative management strategy.
Looking ahead, X UP aspires to become the go-to robotic solution company offering a more efficient alternative to manual golf course maintenance.
FRESH GO Founder Lee Sung-hoon
Fresh GO: Modular Individual Refrigerator for Cold Chain Transportation
Fresh GO has pioneered an individual cooling cold chain solution that facilitates the transportation of fresh food in conventional trucks, meeting the growing demand for food deliveries. This innovative cooling method uses Physics-Informed Neural Networks and Ref Cycle technology, matching the performance of competitors at half the cost.
The temperature can be individually adjusted for each item, and the design, which eliminates the need to open the entire door, aids in maintaining internal temperatures. It can even be adapted for air deliveries. Fresh GO’s CEO, Lee Seong-hoon, has leveraged his experience at LG to bring this concept to life, addressing customer needs.
Cucumbers Founder Lee Jae-hyuk
Cucumbers: Cost-Effective Pickup Service and Marketing Tool for Restaurants
Cucumbers provides an intelligent solution that lessens the commission burden on restaurants while also acting as a marketing tool to draw in regular customers. By offering a pickup service with in-store prices and group pickup discounts, it allows users to reduce their cost burden, encouraging a symbiotic relationship.
Found Objet Founder Kim Ju-hee
Found Objet: Recycled Materials Trading Platform for a Sustainable Future
Found Objet, a platform that streamlines transactions between recycling companies and buyers, is the brainchild of CEO Kim Ju-hee, formerly of LG Vehicle component Solutions Company. She observed that many recycled materials businesses were run by the older generation, who often didn’t fully grasp market prices and needed to acquire new customers as the market expanded. Concurrently, purchasing managers at chemical companies were looking to gather information from various businesses to secure a consistent supply of raw materials. Found Objet bridges this information gap, contributing to a more sustainable future.
STUDIO341’s final five were selected based on their potential for growth and their capacity to continually innovate the customer experience moving forward. LG and Bluepoint intend to collaboratively invest up to KRW 400 million in each of these start-ups.
Stay tuned to
link hidden, please login to view to see how its solutions based on innovative technologies are innovating new value for customers across various future industries. # # #
-
By News Reporter
Hanok, traditional Korean houses, are renowned for their aesthetic beauty construction and harmonious integration with nature. Inspired by this distinctive architectural form – prized for its energy efficiency, natural ventilation and lighting – LG Spain has constructed an AI-powered home named ‘Another Hanok.’ This innovative abode showcases LG’s latest technological and design advancements and highlights some of the ecologically-focused projects undertaken as part of LG Spain’s ‘Smart Green’ movement.
During the Another Hanok opening ceremony, LG reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the global climate response through its ongoing ESG initiatives and sustainable product solutions. The event was attended by 80 guests, including the president of LG Spain, local and Korean government officials and representatives from various partner companies. Since establishing the Smart Green movement in 2017, LG Spain has developed product solutions aimed at reducing environmental harm while encouraging and fostering community engagement.
Efficient Innovations for Sustainable Dwellings
Self-sufficient, connected and sustainably powered, Another Hanok embraces and embodies LG’s Smart Green philosophy. The house produces, stores, saves and shares clean energy, achieving 100 percent energy independence* through the use of LG’s state-of-the-art technologies as a way to reduce its environmental impact.
Leading up to the entrance of Another Hanok is a beautifully designed pathway that inspires feelings of peace and tranquility while reminding visitors of the pressing environmental issues facing our planet. As visitors approach the house, they encounter a variety of interactive displays and installations that spotlight the challenges of reducing carbon emissions and the urgent need for companies and consumers to adopt responsible practices.
Inside, visitors can explore several spaces, each focused on different aspects of sustainable living. From energy-efficient appliances to advanced HVAC systems, Another Hanok demonstrates how LG’s cutting-edge technologies and solutions can help create a net-zero-energy home. The seamless installation of the LG Therma V R290 Monobloc heat pump contributes to the house’s efficient use of power, while ensuring the reliable heating and cooling for visitor comfort. Conveniently, the solution’s energy consumption can be monitored through the ThinQ Energy Service. Additionally, surplus energy produced by the solar panels installed on the roof of Another Hanok is stored in LG’s energy storage system.
Expanding the Smart Green Movement
Launched in 2017, LG Spain’s Smart Green movement is an initiative that continues to help regenerate local environments and ecosystems. The movement’s goals include planting 48 million trees (Smart Green Trees), repopulating 48 million Iberian bees to ensure the pollination of countless endemic plant species (Smart Green Bees), and reviving the health of the Mediterranean Sea (Smart Green Seas).
The ‘Another Life’ Experience
Another Hanok is a part of LG’s ‘Another Life’ series, a collection of offline experience spaces that provide customers with unique opportunities to interact with LG’s lifestyle-enhancing products. Each of these spaces offers a welcoming atmosphere along with compelling displays and exhibits that promote sustainability and responsible technological innovation. Beginning in South Korea in 2022, the series has since expanded internationally with the addition of sites such as ‘Another Saigon’ in Vietnam.
LG views Another Hanok as a new, more-engaging kind of B2B showroom, where its European B2B clients can see first-hand the company’s strong commitment to achieving carbon neutrality. In the spirit of its Life’s Good philosophy, LG will continue to innovate and inspire, leveraging its technology leadership to help usher in a new era of sustainability.
# # #
* Average yearly photovoltaic (PV) power generation at Another Hanok is 22,030 kWh while average monthly power consumption is 16,870kWh. Actual power generation and power usage may vary.
link hidden, please login to view -
-
By News Reporter
In the second episode of the ‘Customers at Heart’ series, we arrive in Egypt to see how the LG team here are introducing customized solutions that seek to improve the entire customer experience.
In Egypt, a country where 72 percent of its 111 million population are internet users according to
link hidden, please login to view, the popularity of online shopping is significant. Recognizing this, LG Egypt has taken an extra step to understand and analyze the needs of local customers, aiming to elevate their online shopping experience. Customer needs in Egypt, related to LG’s Online Brand Shop (OBS), both in the digital and physical space, were identified and categorized into three main areas: simplified access to information on store locations or LG appliances; an expanded range of payment options for OBS purchases; and increased flexibility in scheduling for delivery, installation and repairs.
The subsidiary took into account local customer data, even analyzing numerous customer call records and Voice of the Customer (VoC) data to better comprehend their preferences. For example, they observed that over 70 percent of Egyptians use WhatsApp, the messaging service. However, as the country is in the nascent stages of digital finance, many consumers still prefer cash payments. Thus, LG Egypt aimed to provide a wider range of payment options and unique benefits to attract people to the OBS.
Incorporating various data, the company enhanced its messaging features and created an All-in-One chatbot service through WhatsApp. With this service, customers can now choose their nearest store and, by clicking ‘Connect to Promoter’ and selecting text or video chat, they can connect with a knowledgeable sales representative.
LG Egypt also broadened its payment system by offering a method to pay for online purchases in cash upon delivery or in installments. They also improved purchasing benefits, such as member discounts and cleaning service coupons valid for a year from the purchase date.
The company also streamlined the delivery and installation process, allowing both to occur on the customer’s chosen date. This eliminates the need for customers to contact the call center separately for installation, saving them valuable time.
And to ensure customers receive the maximum benefit from their products, LG enhanced its after-sales service by scheduling service technician visits at times convenient for the customers and ensuring issues are resolved in a single visit – eliminating the need for lengthy waits for repairs. To cater to all customer needs, the Egyptian branch introduced ‘same day contact,’ a service that ensures technicians call customers on the same date of order request receipt; ‘Evening Care+’ for customers unavailable during regular office hours; and ‘On time – One Time’, which provides repair reception and processing during evening hours (17:30 – 20:30). The company also streamlined returns through its ‘Instant Exchange Process,’ handing customers the ability to effortlessly request returns or replacements by taking photos.
These innovative changes to the customer experience have been praised by customers nationwide. Its chatbot and location-based features have played a big part in boosting customer satisfaction, and the numbers back this up. Last year, OBS sales increased 169 percent compared to the previous year while registered OBS members went up 79 percent. After witnessing these results, LG Egypt committed itself to further diversifying its customer care program and increasing the All-in-One chatbot’s applicability to provide the ultimate differentiated experience to LG Brand Shop visitors. The company also plans to expand their dedicated service infrastructure to around 90 percent, ensuring that customers associate LG services with ‘On Time – One Time.’
Stay tuned for the next episode of ‘Customers at Heart,’ where we’ll be heading to another global LG office to learn how they’re thinking out of the box to enhance the customer experience.
# # #
-
-
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.