New automotive lighting revolutionises road safety

Innovative glare free lights

A German research alliance with well-known members from industry and research, including original equipment (OE) and systems supplier HELLA, has developed the basis for a smart, high-resolution LED headlight, which, like its original Matrix LED, reduces glare and significantly improves driver visibility at night.

The new headlight contains three LED chips, each with more than 1,000 individually controllable light points, meaning that they can be adapted very precisely to suit the respective traffic situation and ensure optimum light conditions at all times. The headlight adapts to take account of the nature of road ahead, ensuring that there are no dark peripheral areas and in conjunction with the vehicle’s sensors, the surroundings are analysed for maximum illumination, but without dazzling other drivers.

In the current generation of adaptive headlights, the LED components are installed in the headlights side by side and on top of each other, but due to the restricted space in the headlight, the additional electronic components required to switch the light segments on and off limit the number of segments the headlight can contain. However, in the new headlight design, electronic activation of the LED is integrated into the chip, which both overcomes the space limitations and results in a much higher light resolution.

Using its lighting and electronic specialisms, HELLA specified the main technical requirements of the light source and designed the entire optical system for the light modules and the cooling they require, as well as developing the prototypes.

The final result is an innovative product that is extremely efficient, generates high light quality and ensures tailor made lighting to suit every situation. At high speeds, the range of the beam is increased automatically to clearly illuminate the road ahead, whereas when driving in the city, a wider light distribution is activated for improved safety, as in addition to illuminating the road, the path and peripheral areas are also included in the light beam. These functions are implemented electronically: with no mechanical actuators and with a glare free full beam, the driver always has the best possible light at night with no adverse effects on other motorists.

This new concept is a further step towards digitalisation in the lighting sector and with this development, HELLA continues to live up to its own standards for developing innovative systems in partnership with, and on behalf of, its customers. It also demonstrates its capacity not only to mass produce them with the inherent accuracy and quality demanded by its customers, but also its ability to consistently think ahead in terms of revolutionary technology.

For more information about the OE quality products available from HELLA or for BEHR HELLA SERVICE, please call customer services on: 01295 662400 or email: [email protected]