David Hulick, Osram Sylvania’s global product manager for auxiliary lighting, told a media gathering here last month that the front-end lighting used on the new Lexus LS 600h L and Audi R8 is a technology gesture rather than a demonstration of a technology ready for the mass market.
“I expect these [early models] are going to be hand-produced works of intense craftsmanship,†Hulick told the gathering in suburban Detroit. “They are not going to be mass-produceable, and they are probably not economically attractive to what would be in a mass vehicle.â€
The problem: Current designs include complicated and expensive methods of dealing with the intense heat generated by LEDs, Hulick said.
Osram and competitors Agilent Technologies, Hella, Lumileds and Nichia are leaders in automotive LED development. Osram Sylvania is a unit of German industrial giant Siemens.
LED lights offer advantages in automotive uses, especially lower power consumption and much longer life than incandescent bulbs. The diodes already are used in taillamp modules for luxury cars and trucks.
A very basic form of LED taillamps and marker lights also has become standard on over-the-road trailers and commercial vehicles.
But challenges to adapting the tough, energy-conserving diodes for front lighting remain to be solved.
Hulick listed heat management as among the hardest issues. Current designs include so-called active cooling — using fans; piped-in, air-conditioned cabin air; and other complex systems to dissipate heat. That will not work for moderately priced vehicles, Hulick said.
Engineers are trying to find the best heat management system for LEDs. Besides being safe, the systems must be light, sturdy, durable, replaceable and quiet.
The heat issue isn’t as difficult on rear lighting because taillights aren’t as bright and generate far less heat than headlights.
Benefits and challenges
LED lights offer advantages in automotive uses, especially lower power consumption and much longer life than incandescent bulbs. The diodes already are used in taillamp modules for luxury cars and trucks.
A very basic form of LED taillamps and marker lights also has become standard on over-the-road trailers and commercial vehicles.
But challenges to adapting the tough, energy-conserving diodes for front lighting remain to be solved.
Hulick listed heat management as among the hardest issues. Current designs include so-called active cooling — using fans; piped-in, air-conditioned cabin air; and other complex systems to dissipate heat. That will not work for moderately priced vehicles, Hulick said.
Engineers are trying to find the best heat management system for LEDs. Besides being safe, the systems must be light, sturdy, durable, replaceable and quiet.
The heat issue isn’t as difficult on rear lighting because taillights aren’t as bright and generate far less heat than headlights
Fog lamps first
Osram is working in stages to bring LED headlamps into production, starting with fog lamps.
“The economics are going to be a challenge for us,†Hulick said. “LEDs are not a substitution technology like HID [high-intensity discharge Xenon lights]. LEDs are going to require an entirely new thinking.
“We’re going to need new investment to do this. We need new processes and designs and new relationships with suppliers and customers.â€
LEDs will be expensive when introduced, but costs are expected to fall dramatically as technology improves and volume increases.
Hulick said design demand, rather than functional-lighting demand, probably will give LEDs their initial boost in the US.