With the intelligent application of car roofs as the core, this report systematically sorts out a series of new products such as fixed panoramic sunroof/openable sunroof, ceiling screen, roof ambient light, projection screen, roof display, roof photovoltaic, roof UAV, integrated sensors, and special material roof.

I. Car Roof Transforms into the Third "Smart Screen"

The car roof is evolving from a single component for "shielding wind and rain" to an interactive interface of the "third living space", with the penetration rate of intelligence continuously rising. According to statistics, the penetration rate of automotive roof intelligence in China's passenger car market is expected to reach 24.9% in 2025, an increase of 5.3 percentage points compared with 2024, and the market size is expected to reach 10.9 billion yuan.

Specifically, the intelligent directions of car roof include fixed panoramic sunroof, ceiling screen, roof ambient light, projection screen, roof display, roof photovoltaic, roof UAV, integrated sensors, etc.

Fixed panoramic roof is a large glass roof located on the car roof. Its design purpose is to allow more natural light to enter the car, provide a broader field of view, and create an open and ventilated sense of space. Driven by factors such as riding experience and single-vehicle cost, fixed panoramic sunroof has become the largest application area of car roof intelligence, with an installation rate exceeding 20% in 2025. At this stage, aiming at the thermal radiation problem of fixed panoramic sunroof, dimming film has become the best solution. By adjusting light transmittance, it achieves effects such as heat insulation and temperature reduction. For example, SPD and PDLC films can block more than 90% of infrared radiation in the closed state, effectively reducing the temperature inside the car and cutting energy consumption.

Ceiling screen ranks second in installation rate and is the fastest-growing product under the concept of "second-row entertainment" in the cockpit. Its market size will reach 970 million yuan in 2025. The ceiling screen can be hidden in the roof by folding when not in use to save interior space; when needed, the screen can be lowered to create an in-car cinema. At present, the size of ceiling screens in passenger cars is mostly between 15-31 inches, with LCD and OLED as the main materials.

Car roof projection is an immersive visual system that converts the dome structure into a projection screen through multiple projectors and seamless splicing technology. In addition to using the openable sunroof as a projection carrier, the intelligent projection systems launched by AITO and Stelato integrate a liftable projection screen on the roof to realize movie viewing and floating window functions.

Car roof ambient light refers to installing ambient lights in the ceiling area to bring higher technology and visibility to the car interior. Currently, there are three main technical paths: first, multi-fiber combined lighting, such as the starry sky roof equipped on Maextro S800 and Rolls-Royce Wraith; second, backlight laser engraving, such as BMW's star track sunroof; third, transparent leather technology, which achieves different starry sky roof effects through light-transmitting leather covering and light guide plate design, with cost advantages.

II. Car Roof Transforms into a Photovoltaic Cell

The photovoltaic roof integrates photovoltaic cells into the car roof, using sunlight to generate electricity to provide energy for low-voltage loads and power batteries, reducing the overall vehicle power consumption and extending the driving range. The value of photovoltaic roof is reflected in two aspects: on the one hand, photovoltaic direct supply can reduce the overall vehicle power consumption of air conditioning and low-voltage loads by 5-8%; on the other hand, for car owners, a 6 m2 roof that generates 6-8kWh/day can support 30-40 km of commuting, which is equivalent to charging once less per week.

Currently, technical routes of in-vehicle photovoltaics mainly include heterojunction, perovskite, etc. Heterojunction batteries have high efficiency and good stability but high manufacturing costs; perovskite batteries have low manufacturing costs and strong light absorption capacity but poor stability.

Heterojunction (HJT) batteries have the characteristics of high conversion efficiency (mass production efficiency above 24%), low attenuation rate (<0.25%/year), and low temperature coefficient (-0.25%/℃). At present, one of the factors restricting the large-scale mass production of heterojunction batteries is their cost. With the improvement of technology, heterojunction batteries that successfully reduce costs are expected to become mainstream. Currently, BYD has mass-produced and installed them on vehicles, and enterprises such as Huasun also have relevant layouts.

BYD's heterojunction battery mass-produced in 2025 has a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 23.18%. The first models to be equipped with it are hybrid models such as the 2025 Han DM-i and Qin PLUS DM-i, with an optional price of 8,000 yuan. In addition, BYD plans to increase its production capacity to 1 million sets in 2026, and its future goal is to cover 6㎡ curved surfaces such as car roof, engine hood, and doors, with power rushing to 2,000 watts to achieve "no charging for a week".

In June 2025, Huasun launched an automotive photovoltaic product equipped with heterojunction curved modules, adopting an integrated curved glass and 0BB module design. It has both aesthetics and efficient power generation performance, fits the body curve better, and adapts to complex road conditions and rural travel scenarios. The product can generate more than 1.2 kWh of electricity per day, bringing an increase of about 25km in driving range, and the annual power generation can meet the travel demand of 2,000km.

Perovskite has higher theoretical efficiency and lower cost. Moreover, due to its characteristics of being thin, light, bendable, and can be made transparent or colored, it is expected to cover the entire body surface in the future to realize vehicle-wide power generation, and is regarded as the key to the next generation of in-vehicle photovoltaics. At present, there have been practical explorations in the field of new energy vehicles, and the main layout players include Changan, BYD, Toyota, Great Wall Motor, BOE, Rollshine Photoelectric, etc.

At the 2025 AI Expo, Changan Automobile launched a new transparent photovoltaic body technology, which is equipped on the Avatr 07. The photovoltaic battery adopts a new material and structural design, realizing the power generation function while ensuring light transmittance. It is claimed that it can provide 10,000 kilometers of power a year, with a power of 500-1000 watts and an increase of 20 kilometers in daily driving range, which can cover daily commuting.

Changan Automobile adopts a new type of photovoltaic battery with "tunable bandgap" and "ultra-thin tandem" characteristics. In March 2025, Deepal (a subsidiary of Changan) applied for a patent for "metal halide perovskite nanocrystal film", showing an active layout in the next generation of photovoltaic technology.

In June 2025, BOE released the perovskite CIPV (Car Integrated Photovoltaic) dimmable glass sunroof. It applies flexible perovskite power generation technology, realizing dynamic color change of the roof through solar energy self-driving, and adaptively adjusting the brightness inside the car in scorching sun and rainy environments. This product is a large-size automotive glass roof integrating perovskite solar cells and intelligent dimming function.

III. Car Roof Transforms into a UAV Parking Apron

Car roof UAV integrates UAV take-off and landing platform, power supply, communication and temperature control system on the roof, making the vehicle a mobile airport, realizing UAV take-off, landing, charging and data transmission along with the vehicle.

Currently, automakers mainly carry out in-depth cooperation with UAV manufacturers. By building hangars and parking aprons on car roof and deeply coupling with the IVI, dynamic take-off & landing and automatic charging are realized. The main layout companies include BYD, Dongfeng, etc.

BYD "Lingyuan" In-Vehicle UAV System

In March 2025, BYD officially released the world's first mass-produced roof-mounted UAV system "Lingyuan", which adopts an integrated design of intelligent hangar, integrating a UAV take-off and landing platform on the roof, and is equipped with in-vehicle positioning module, vehicle-grade anemometer, image transmission antenna, roof camera and intelligent temperature control system. The "Lingyuan" system supports functions such as dynamic take-off and landing, one-key return, and precise landing, and can automatically complete charging. It covers brands such as Yangwang, BYD Dynasty, Ocean, Denza, and Fangchengbao, becoming the world's first vehicle-grade mass-produced solution.

Dongfeng "Tianying" In-Vehicle UAV System

In April 2025, Dongfeng M-HERO was equipped with the "Tianying" intelligent in-vehicle UAV system developed by GDU Tech. The "Tianying" system is composed of five modules including the professional-grade S180 UAV and the K05 detachable in-vehicle hangar. It is compatible with various models such as sedans, SUVs, MPVs, and off-road vehicles, without modifying the original vehicle, and can be loaded and unloaded within 3 minutes. The system is equipped with a 48MP gimbal camera, supports a wide-angle + telephoto dual-camera combination, and has 4K full-color starlight night vision and infrared thermal imaging functions. It can be applied to various scenarios such as aerial photography, advance route exploration, and emergency rescue.