Ferrari Luce, beyond the questionable design: Samsung behind the exclusive OLED technology of the Prancing Horse
Amid limited enthusiasm and nearly unanimous criticism, the Ferrari Luce is now a reality, and although it may not be to everyone's liking, it is undeniable that from a technological standpoint, it is one of the most advanced proposals in the automotive sector. Among the most interesting elements of the vehicle is the new digital cockpit developed in collaboration with Samsung Display, which will be the exclusive supplier of the four displays dedicated to various areas of the cockpit.
The system integrates 12.9-inch, 12-inch, 10.1-inch, and 6.3-inch displays distributed between the instrument panel, central console, and rear area dedicated to passengers. The goal of the project concerns a greater integration between hardware components and software interface, with a solution that emphasizes both visual depth and analog interaction.
The most technically advanced element relates to the instrument panel used by the driver. In fact, the Ferrari Luce utilizes a multilayer structure made of the superimposition of two 12 and 12.9-inch OLED panels. The upper display includes three circular openings of approximately 100 mm that allow viewing of the lower panel, creating a three-dimensional effect distinctly different from classic two-dimensional digital cockpits. The lower panel displays backgrounds and main indicators, while the upper one manages notifications, torque-shift indicators, and real-time alerts.
Within the space created between the two displays, there are also physical mechanical hands that move in sync with the car's system to provide a more natural reading of driving information. Samsung Display explained that this architecture has been made possible thanks to proprietary HIAA (Hole-in-Active-Area) technology, already used in the mobile sector but adapted for larger dimensions. The openings applied to the Ferrari cockpit are, in fact, about 20 times the typical diameter of the holes found on modern smartphones.
To avoid issues of image uniformity or signal transmission delays, Samsung has developed a specific signal routing system around the display openings. The company has also applied Thin Film Encapsulation (TFE) technology to protect OLED organic materials from moisture and infiltrations along the cut edges of the panel.
"The Ferrari Luce is a fundamental car that demonstrates the technological advantages of OLED, capable of virtually embracing any design while leveraging the established expertise of Samsung Display. We will continue to introduce a wide range of innovative solutions that will expand the possibilities of automotive design in the future," said Joohyung Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of the Mobile Display Division at Samsung.
The central 10.1-inch OLED display also utilizes HIAA technology. At the top of the console, a digital multigraph appears with functions dedicated to clock, stopwatch, and compass. In this case, three mechanical hands pass directly through the panel via micro-perforations and rotate 360 degrees in real-time.
The rear area integrates a 6.3-inch OLED display positioned behind the central tunnel. Passengers can manage climate control and driving information directly through this dedicated interface. According to Samsung Display, the choice of OLEDs has allowed Ferrari to adopt customized shapes with curved lines and non-rectangular surfaces, which are difficult to achieve with traditional LCD panels. The absence of backlighting also allows a reduced thickness, a characteristic that contributed to the greater design freedom of the cockpit.
"The brand-new display system implemented in the Ferrari Luce offers an unprecedented in-cabin experience, where Ferrari tradition and future-oriented technology coexist in harmony," stated Ernesto Lasalandra, Head of Research and Development at Ferrari.