Product innovations will also play a pivotal role in stimulating adoption of automotive LED.
In the recent years, carmakers have been increasingly shifting focus away from incandescent bulbs to the more advanced automotive LED lighting applications. Other than being cost and performance efficient, automotive LED lighting’s ability to boost dimming performance, security, and color rendering is leading to its more widespread adoption among car manufacturers, given the growing nighttime visibility concerns. In addition to automotive LED lighting’s exterior application, its role in interior lighting ranges from being just a cosmetic feature to driver and passenger safety while entering and exiting vehicles, manipulating driving controls, and impacting the overall comfort and alertness of the driver has been recognized by prominent car makers and designers.
Additionally, automotive manufacturers are also leveraging automotive LED lighting’s ability to change its beam shape and output density to suit the situation, in Adaptive Front-Lighting Systems (AFS) and emergency brake lights, in order to achieve better reaction time.
Increasing demand for automotive LED, has not only revolutionized the vehicle lighting landscape but also proved disruptive for the connector market—creating collaboration opportunities for automotive LED manufacturers and connector suppliers.
Novel Innovations to Light up the Future of Automotive LED Lighting
German lighting supplier, Hella and automotive giant Audi, have together pushed for a more advanced application of automotive LED lighting in its new A7 Sportback. The partners have used 2nd generation red-green-blue (RGB) automotive LEDs for interior lighting applications that is managed by a ceiling Control Unit (CU). The added features include a microphone, passenger compartment monitoring sensors, and moonroof positioning. Another automotive LED lighting application is the Matrix LED reading light in the headlamp, allowing individual control of all 32 light emitting diodes of the Matrix LED.
Innovations in thermal management of automotive LED specifically in interior lighting applications is projected to create more manufacturing opportunities owing to the high power in automotive LED that converts into more heat than light, further reducing the automotive LED efficiency. Such fundamental challenges are expected to push for smaller lighting fixtures and lamps with key focus on reducing the heat generated into the ambient air that could result in overheating of the components. For instance, Philips’s Ultinon LED uses the AirFlux heat-management technology that directs heat away from components, ensuring constant cooling of LEDs—further translating into efficient automotive LED performance without light decay.
Electric Vehicles (EVs), Mid-Segment Cars Will Elevate Opportunities for Automotive LED Manufacturers
As the automotive industry advances toward vehicle electrification, automotive manufacturers along with designers and engineers will have to continue delivering enhanced safety and efficiency. Market analysis indicates that using automotive LED in electric cars would boosts as much as six mile in range, on a single charge. Automotive LED lighting that reduces power draw and battery drains is projected to remain most beneficial in electric cars—which completely relies on stored electricity from batteries. Moreover, mid-segment cars are also projected to present potential investment opportunities for automotive LED manufacturers, owing to the former’s increasing demand, specifically in developing economies. Although, ambient lighting was only found in luxury and premium cars initially, growing driver awareness and demand for seamless, safe driving experience has attracted investments in the mid-segment cars.
Stringent Regulations to Push For Higher Adherence in Automotive LED Lighting Landscape
Given the growing concerns over vehicular safety and emissions, government bodies have chalked a set of stringent regulatory guidelines ensuing the same. Key companies in the automotive led market are making significant investments to meet regulatory norms set by authorities including US Department of Transportation, Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE), National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), and Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE). For instance, NHTSA issued new orders making it mandatory for trailers and trucks wider than 80 inches to have ID lamps fixed over the rear door—even in spaces less than one inch.
An ongoing in-depth analysis of the global automotive LED market presents an extensive evaluation of the current as well as prospective scenario of the automotive LED market. The comprehensive study on automotive LED market presents exclusive insights that are in line with the current market developments fueling the widespread adoption of automotive LED.