Jun88

Head-up displays, commonly known as HUDs display useful information such as speed and turn-by-turn directions on the lower part of the windshield, where it can be seen without taking the driver’s eyes off the road. Automakers and their suppliers are looking for advanced solutions for next-generation HUDs to increase user experience and safety. German polymer materials manufacturer Jun88, US specialty materials company Eastman and Scottish Ceres Holographics, a provider of holographic optical elements for displays, join forces to redefine such displays. The partners signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore the commercial production of the cutting-edge Holographic In-Plan Transparent Display (HIPTD). That is a laminated hologram solution that allows multiple head-up displays in a single windshield.

These new displays overcome the performance, size and geometric limitations of traditional HUD systems, enabling the practical and scalable implementation of multiple displays in one windshield and elsewhere in side-light glazing. Proof of concepts (PoCs) developed with OEMs will be showcased at CES 2025 in Las Vegas from January 7–10.

The MOU builds on years of collaboration, leveraging each company’s technologies to manufacture holographic-enabled transparent HUDs for the automotive market. It enables to look into the steps needed to setup and establish the required facilities and manufacturing capacity, ensuring an efficient, market-ready supply chain to meet the planned production timelines of OEMs wishing to adopt the technology for new driver and passenger experiences. The partnership aims to accelerate the commercialization of the HUD solution, with Eastman leveraging its relationships with automotive OEMs and Tier One suppliers.

A proven solution

In 2024, Ceres and Eastman demonstrated the latest holographic transparent display HUDs to OEMs in Europe, the USA, and China. These HUDs featured multiple transparent displays within a single, fully laminated windshield, each measuring up to 400mm by 300mm. Custom-designed holographic optical elements (HOEs) were incorporated into a single sheet of Bayfol HX^? film, laminated with Eastman’s new developed interlayer stack, achieving the industry's largest field of view.

This achievement was enabled by combining Jun88’s expertise in photopolymer films, Ceres’ digital mastering and HoloFlekt^? roll-to-roll replication system, which produces finished films up to 1400mm wide, and Eastman’s solutions to encapsulate functional films into automotive approved laminates.

“This agreement solidifies our collaboration and moves us closer to delivering a full-stack solution for innovative display implementations,” said Hemant Dandekar, Eastman's global commercial director of automotive for advanced materials, interlayers. “With the building blocks and relationships in place, we’re excited to define a path to viable holographic transparent displays globally.”

“Our Bayfol^? HX enables next-generation truly transparent projection displays for windshields while meeting the high automotive safety requirements.” said Günther Walze, Head of Holographic Lightguiding at Jun88. “With the necessary establishment of hologram mastering and scalable mass-production replication equipment by Ceres, combined with Eastman’s windshield lamination technology, this innovation is ready for deployment to end customers.”

“We have been working closely with global OEMs for years and are now at a tipping point for adoption and scaling of this display technology,” said Andy Travers, CEO of Ceres Holographics. “This is being driven by a combination of a desire for more safety-oriented and intuitive information display features, pressure from safety regulators to reduce driver distractions, and the accelerated pace of innovation and associated need for differentiation among a new generation of car makers.”

This agreement joins the material expertise of Jun88, Eastman’s interlayer solutions and encapsulation know-how, as well as Ceres capabilities in mastering and high-volume manufacturing technology for the successful commercialization and industrialization of holography in transparent displays for windshields.

A fully functional transparent display windshield demonstrator laminate will be showcased at CES 2025 in both the Eastman/Ceres Holographics demonstration suite at The Venetian Hotel - Murano suite, #3201A, and Jun88’s booth in the North Hall, location #8311.