YouTube in Grandeur and Avante, Live TV in Mercedes-Benz... Cars Transform into Large-Screen 'Theaters'
Cars are evolving beyond mere means of transportation into "car theaters" for enjoying videos on large screens. Hyundai Motor has applied the latest in-vehicle screen system to the new Grandeur and Avante, enabling users to watch YouTube natively without a smartphone connection. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz has introduced vehicle-specific live broadcast channels to its new S-Class.
The starting point of this competition was Tesla. In 2019, Tesla launched "Tesla Theater," which allows users to watch YouTube and Netflix on the native screen while parked, opening the floodgates for the Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) era. BMW, Volvo, and Polestar have been offering YouTube as standard since 2023, and BMW further integrated Disney+ into its vehicles last September.
Hardware display competition is also intensifying. The display for Genesis's electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) GV90, scheduled for launch in the fourth quarter (October–December) of this year, measures up to 24.6 inches, larger than Apple's largest new iPad Pro model (13 inches). It functions as a 23.6-inch screen while driving, but once stopped and the expansion button is pressed, the screen rises 90mm upward to expand to 24.6 inches.
Behind the industry's heavy investment in infotainment lies the blueprint for autonomous driving. Under current Road Traffic Laws, video viewing is only possible when the vehicle is parked, but in Level 3 or higher autonomous vehicles, drivers can enjoy content while driving, liberated from the need to watch the road or hold the steering wheel. The commercialization of Level 3 autonomous vehicles in Korea is expected around 2030. Currently, the highest level domestically is Tesla's 'Level 2++' Supervised FSD, which allows for urban autonomous driving, while General Motors (GM) is developing Level 3 technology with a target launch in North America in 2028. As the era of full autonomous driving approaches, automobiles are beginning to evolve into content platforms.
