Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong takes the stage at an event marking the 25th anniversary of NVIDIA’s GeForce GPU series, held at COEX in Seoul on October 30. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong is expected to meet with Mercedes-Benz Group Chairman Ola Källenius in Seoul next week, in what industry officials say could mark a deeper collaboration between the two companies in semiconductors and electric vehicle technology.
Källenius is scheduled to attend the Mercedes-Benz Future Strategy Conference at the Paradise City Hotel in Incheon, just west of Seoul, on Nov. 14, according to the German automaker. Both Samsung Electronics and Mercedes-Benz Korea confirmed that a meeting between the two executives is planned, though neither disclosed details of the agenda.
The discussions are widely expected to expand the companies’ existing partnership—currently focused on in-car infotainment systems and digital key technologies—into areas such as automotive chips, EV batteries and vehicle displays, according to industry sources.
Harman International, the U.S. subsidiary of Samsung specializing in automotive electronics and audio systems, already supplies Mercedes-Benz with its MBUX infotainment platform for the EQS electric sedan, as well as premium sound systems. Some Mercedes models also feature the Samsung Wallet Digital Key, which uses ultra-wideband technology to unlock and start vehicles.
Samsung Display is reportedly in talks with Mercedes-Benz to supply organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels for its next-generation vehicles. The meeting between Lee and Källenius could provide fresh momentum for those negotiations, analysts said.
Samsung’s reach across the auto tech supply chain is extensive: the company provides automotive semiconductors to BMW and Audi, while Samsung SDI supplies EV batteries to several global carmakers.
During his visit to South Korea, Källenius is also expected to hold separate meetings with executives from LG Electronics, LG Energy Solution and LG Display, signaling the German automaker’s intent to strengthen ties with the country’s major technology groups.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
