Invited Paper

LEDs in Automotive Lighting

Dr. Karsten Eichhorn, Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., Lippstadt, Germany
Abstract
Light emitting diodes (LED) are becoming more and more significant in interior and exterior automotive lighting. The long service life, energy and space savings, shock and vibration resistance and new styling potential are the main advantages of using LEDs in automotive applications. Today, most central high mounted stop lamps use LEDs. In rear combination lamps the number of LEDs in amber and red is increasing rapidly. This year, a first rear combination lamp using LEDs for all functionalities including the back-up lamp function was realized. In addition, first signal functions in headlamps using white High Power LEDs were launched onto the market. The long service life characteristic makes LEDs especially predestined for the DRL function combined with the position/parking light. Exterior automotive applications, including requirements and performance will be discussed and an outlook will be given on future scenarios. Keywords : LED, Optics, Front Lighting, Rear Lighting, Headlamp, Signal function

1. Introduction
The revolutionary triumph of LEDs in automotive lighting started at the end of the 1980s/beginning of the 1990s with the first central high mounted stop lamps (CHMSL). The fact that today, more than 95 % of these lamp functions are already being generated with the aid of LEDs, underlines the dynamic advanced development and penetration of this technology. The implementation of LEDs in rear combination lamps (RCL) began a decade later. At first, individual tail lamp, stop lamp and direction indicator functions were developed on an LED basis to supplement conventional filament bulb technology. In 2005 the first "full LED" rear combination slamp was launched on the market. All the functionalities including the reverse lamp are realized on the basis of LEDs. They clearly demonstrate the unique combination of advantages of a complete LED lamp solution: vehicle service life, reduced design space thanks to extremely low-profile design and top-level energy saving. The drastic increase in performance of white LEDs in particular in the past few years has made LED technology interesting for headlamp applications, too. As early as 2002, the first position light to use white high-power LEDs and be integrated in the headlamp was presented to the market. Only a year later, daytime running light (DRL) followed in a standard series vehicle. The combination position / daytime running light in particular results in a functional solution predestined for LED technology. Here, the advantages of LEDs in terms of efficiency, ability to be dimmed and service life can be exploited to the full. LED manufacturers predict that the first main lighting functions such as fog light, low beam and high beam will be able to be realized in the next few years, thus completing the application range for LEDs in exterior automotive lighting. This development is underlined by the wide range of prototypes for headlamp main lighting functions currently on display at motor shows all over the world. Figure 1 documents the use of LEDs for various exterior applications on the time line.

Light-Emitting Diodes: Research, Manufacturing, and Applications X, edited by Klaus P. Streubel, H. Walter Yao, E. Fred Schubert, Proc. of SPIE Vol. 6134, 613405, (2006) 0277-786X/06/$15 doi: 10.1117/12.660145 Proc. of SPIE Vol. 6134 613405-1

headlamp

position light
stop light
RCL

tail light

::tion indicator]

Fig. 1 Roadmap for LEDs in exterior automotive lighting

2. Advantages of LEDs in automotive lighting

LEDs have many advantages over the light sources conventionally used in automotive applications. Thus, for example, the very principle of the LED leads to a longer service life and increased reliability. The working principle means that the lamp can be used for 10,000 hours and more, depending on operating temperature and definition. The service life of filament and halogen bulbs is typically a few hundred hours, whereas the gas discharge lamps also used in automotive lighting manage a service life of several thousand hours. In addition, the LED has significant advantages in resisting mechanical stress of the kind which occurs in vehicles. Its compact design is another advantage. LEDs can be used to realize lamp systems optimized in terms of design space, reducing component height and thus saving space. This is supported by the high efficiency of the LEDs, which significantly reduces the heat produced by the complete lighting system, particularly in the case of colored functionalities such as the tail lamp and direction indicator. Not forgetting the innovative styling options which result from the use of several light sources and new, LEDspecific optic concepts. They provide vehicle manufacturers with new possibilities of distinguishing between makes and models.

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Fig. 2 Advantages of LEDs in comparison to conventional light sources in vehicles

3. Structure of an automotive LED system

In order to realize lighting equipment in the vehicle on the basis of LEDs, components other than the light source itself are of major importance for securing the function.

Fig. 3 Components of an automotive LED system

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I.

Suitable thermal management keeps the LED within the component-specific temperature range. At the same time, it ensures that the cover lenses of the headlamp systems do not freeze up in winter. Typically, specially designed heat sinks are used, which can optionally be supplemented by fans. The electronic control depends to a large extent on the functional requirements. Simple individual functional solutions begin with low-cost resistor solutions, whereas more complex circuits are usually based on pulse width modulation. The various structural and connection technologies used to link the light source with the other components are relevant for manufacturing processes and thus pertinent to the question of costs. Last but not least, optical components are also required. Typically, both reflective and transmissive optics can be used. Since the special characteristics of LEDs means that no IR radiation is emitted in the light output direction, solid optics are particularly well suited for this application. These capture the LED light directly at the emitter and guide and shape it extremely efficiently, in particular using the technique of total internal reflection. Combinations, such as classical projectors for example, can also be used as so-called hybrid systems. Figure 4 shows a selection of possible LED optics.

t t.
reflective

transmissive

hybrid

Fig. 4 Examples of reflective, transmissive and hybrid optics

4. LEDs in use
Automotive lighting equipment is generally divided into interior and exterior applications. In the case of exterior applications, a distinction is made between signal functions and main lighting functions. Signal functions are primarily used for vehicle marking as well as to indicate changes in direction. They are located on the front, rear and side of the vehicle. LEDs of all colors, capacities and shapes are already being used for such applications. Figure 5 shows various application examples. In these cases, the higher costs of the LED in comparison with conventional bulbs will determine further market penetration.

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Fig. 5 Examples of LED lamps in series applications The task of main lighting functions in the headlamp is to illuminate the road for the driver in the dark. This makes significantly higher engineering demands on the LED light source. Low luminances and luminous flux per LED in particular have so far made series applications in vehicles impossible. A comparison of the photometric parameters of LEDs with light sources conventionally used (Figure 6) clearly illustrates this fact.

W5W

5O

27OO

Halogen H7

-32OO

-3O

Xenon
D2S

-32OO

-9O

-4OOO

-9O

LED

-65 (2004) -110 (2006)

-30 (2004) -45 (2006)

-650D

-1O (2004)

-20 (2006)

Fig. 6 Comparison of photometric parameters of various light sources used in automotive headlamps

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Yet the steadily increasing performance of LEDs and their further development in the field of automotive applications has put first applications for main lighting functions within grasp. First prototypes have already proved principle feasibility with acceptable light output and design spaces. A handful of multi-chip LEDs is used to produce a luminous flux of several hundred lumen, and specially designed free-form reflectors realize all headlamp lighting functions. Figure 7 shows a demonstrator which realizes the main lighting functions low beam, high beam and sequential bend lighting alongside LED signal functions such as position lamp, direction indicator and daytime running light.

Fig. 7 Prototype of a full LED headlamp

LEDs offer special potential for adaptive-dynamic lighting functions such as bend lighting or future "active" lighting functions. With these, the freely controllable LED provides innovative flexibility in switching and modulating light. In future in particular, this aspect will distinguish LEDs from the light sources currently used.

5. Summary and outlook

The triumph of LEDs in automotive lighting began at the end of the 1980s. Its numerous advantages in comparison with conventional light sources support its continuous market penetration. Starting from the high mounted stop lamp and spreading to signal functions at the rear and front of the vehicle, the realization of a first full LED headlamp including the main lighting functions with white high-power LEDs is expected in the next few years. The time scale for the general replacement of conventional automotive light sources by LEDs mainly depends on the development of the costs per unit of luminous flux generated. Here, automotive applications and white LEDs in particular will benefit from the predicted market penetration of LEDs in the field of general lighting applications.

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