PlayWare, MetaWare and VisionWare are the three LG AlphaWare core solutions that we designed specifically for the consumer because of our company’s unwavering dedication to our customers.

I discussed PlayWare’s capabilities in depth during my presentation. For those who did not attend the conference, I’d like to reiterate PlayWare’s capabilities to demonstrate how LG AlphaWare is truly enhancing the in-vehicle experience for users. PlayWare is the entertainment platform that enriches the in-vehicle infotainment experience through the delivery of ultra-high-definition content and superior audio quality. Leveraging our company’s partnerships with major streaming apps, sports and news channels, PlayWare brings the LG smart TV experience into the car. The platform is designed to run efficiently, quickly and smoothly, all while displaying content in stunning 4K Ultra HD resolution for passengers’ viewing enjoyment. LG's Automotive Content Platform (ACP), which is a part of PlayWare, has already been introduced in South Korea through various Hyundai and Kia models, including the Hyundai Genesis G80, GV80, GV80 Coupe and the Kia Carnival and EV3.

MetaWare is another LG AlphaWare core solution that I highlighted during my presentation in Detroit, and one that I find particularly useful for consumers. MetaWare seamlessly connects the driver with the vehicle and the outside world through augmented reality, to make driving safer and more intuitive without the distraction of traditional screens or multiple apps. By leveraging augmented and mixed reality technologies, MetaWare delivers meaningful information across various displays, from AR HUDs to clusters and central panels, and supports the procedural generation of realistic 3D environments, transforming standard 2D map data into dynamic, immersive visuals. This feature aids our customers in better understanding their car’s Advanced Driver Assistance System and navigation system information, providing a more engaging and intuitive driving experience.

An additional core solution designed for the benefit of the customer that I did not discuss during my presentation at AutoTech is VisionWare. It analyzes the behavior of the driver and the passenger through an advanced monitoring system that employs an AI algorithm, a software framework, an electronic control unit and camera technologies, and utilizes its findings to help prevent distractions and hazards that may occur when driving. VisionWare also features an interior monitoring system that analyzes the status of all passengers, detects seat belt usage, hand gestures, behavior patterns and the presence of children, to help ensure driver and passenger safety while on the road.

Another reason we created LG AlphaWare is to support the automotive industry’s desire to create a standardized platform that all vehicle software can utilize. I’ve had my fair share of experiences with a variety of systems over the past 15 years, including Windows CE, Android, Linux/GENIVI, QNX and Android Automotive. Each project aimed for standardization but ended up reinforcing fragmentation. In an ideal world, hardware variations are abstracted away to allow for any application developed for one vehicle to be seamlessly deployed across all others. Currently, existing legacy systems and proprietary solutions by different OEMs create barriers to standardization. While OEMs in our industry agree that we need one standardized platform that all vehicle software can use, each OEM wants to build the platform to their specifications, which complicates the creation of a truly universal standardized platform.

We created LG AlphaWare as a pathway toward a standardized platform for all vehicle software, and there’s one LG AlphaWare core solution that demonstrates this intention the most -- BaseWare. This platform is the “backbone” of the vehicle and offers a comprehensive collection of versatile software modules to enrich existing vehicle operating systems and assist in building new platforms. BaseWare is engineered to support the essential lifecycle of a car, facilitate reliable real-time management and simplify service abstraction and development. For example, its Mixed Critical Orchestrator supports the management of service execution both on-device and in the cloud while adhering to strict industry safety requirements. Rather than wait for or build on an already existing universal OS, our company decided to develop a suite of interoperable components that can adapt to various OEM-specific ecosystems. This is what makes BaseWare an “à la carte” offering that respects the diverse needs of OEMs and pushes the industry toward more practical forms of standardization through modular and flexible software architectures.

Alongside BaseWare, OpsWare is another core LG AlphaWare solution that is designed for the automaker and the software developer. OpsWare is the central operations platform that enhances collaboration between software developers across global teams for the entirety of the software development process and prioritizes robust cybersecurity management. For example, LG’s Cybersecurity-as-a-Service offers continuous monitoring and in-depth analysis of cybersecurity risks, to ensure a vehicle’s software remains secure against emerging threats. In short, OpsWare helps automakers maintain high security and improve the efficiency of their software lifecycle management.

All of LG AlphaWare’s five core solutions work together to meet the needs of various OEMs, enhance the in-vehicle experience for consumers, strengthen the development process for the software provider, enable further collaboration within the automotive industry and demonstrate the tremendous benefits behind a software-defined vehicle. Fortunately, SDVs also provide a significant business advantage for OEMs and suppliers. In the traditional automotive business model, most revenue comes from vehicle sales. In contrast, the introduction of modern SDV vehicles enriched with continuous digital services creates ongoing revenue opportunities beyond initial sales.

The traditional automotive business model does not support software-defined vehicles that require continual updates and improvements. There are growing costs associated with maintaining and updating software platforms, and these growing costs cannot be sustained by a one-time sale. However, there are new revenue models that are provided by a software-defined vehicle, such as subscription services, usage-based fees and premium digital content, which can provide continuous income streams for OEMs. For example, vehicle screens can be used to offer subscription-based entertainment or productivity tools that transform a vehicle into a service platform.

Our company is leveraging our expertise in consumer electronics to create compelling in-vehicle experiences that can be monetized. We already partner with several OEMs to implement features like advanced infotainment systems and connectivity solutions that support various revenue-generating services, and we look forward to future partnerships that will support additional avenues for ongoing revenue. As our industry is being reshaped by new tech giants and startups, the traditional hierarchical model that prioritized OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers is becoming less relevant in the SDV landscape, creating a need for more flexible and collaborative partnerships.

OEMs, technology providers and content creators will need to collaborate more closely, and these collaborations will lead to new innovative solutions that a single entity can’t achieve alone. At LG, we are leveraging our broad range of capabilities from electronics to software development to help facilitate healthy “coopetition” in the evolving SDV space. While there are still many unknowns, one thing is certain: whether you’re an automaker, service provider, supplier or driver, you will one day truly experience the future of mobility thanks to software defined vehicles.