DVN is pleased to release our exclusive in-depth review and coverage of the International Symposium on Automotive Lighting held last month at Darmstadt. This report is equally for experts who couldn’t attend or who missed out on some of the lectures. In 100 pages and 100 pictures, we summarise and analyse the main presentations.
This 2011 ISAL was quite exciting; we have seen signs of great worldwide interest in lighting. The main themes we retain one month on:
• The high level of technological contents of most of the 65 lectures which covered a diversity of new technologies such as Xenon 25W (AC and new DC!), LED, high beam assistant, adaptive lighting, adaptive driving beam, matrix beam, laser light, marker light, OLED, DMD, all implemented with care for excellent safety performance and styling differentiation and to reduce energy consumption.
• The involvement of car makers in lighting. They want to develop their own tools—simulation tools among them—and their own lighting research teams with experts working for the long term. Car makers are investing in this way in order to better orientate their stylists and also to better communicate with their suppliers. The lectures of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Skoda, and Renault were at a very high level.
• Some very interesting lectures from Tier 1, 2, and 3 lighting suppliers.
M. Hamm whose research shows LEDs give higher brightness impression but poorer detection threshold; J. Suckling from Sharp with his surprising laser headlamp.
R. Neumann who discussed what is an affordable headlamp with the corresponding challenges;
T. Vieregge from Hella with their OLED technology;
A. Moser from ZKW presenting a simpler matrix-light;
Several great lectures on spot marking light systems and strategies.
Indeed, ISAL 2011 was a smashing success. What a pleasure to get together for two days with 600 participants involved in lighting, new and senior experts and managers, discussing lighting technologies, lighting physiology, lighting measurement, lighting trends, and everything else about automotive lighting! Sincerely yours
DVN General editor
Lighting News