LED lights in automobiles look good and offer excellent light, while being safe and environment-friendly\
September, 2015
Over the past decade, technological innovations in the automobile industry have not only improved product quality and fuel efficiency, but also enhanced the customer experience.
Buyers today want the best value for their money and manufacturers have responded with path-breaking product features at price points that were unimaginable a decade back.
A cursory look around shows a wide variety of lighting designs in cars and motorcycles, which indicates the amazing research that is going into them. It is apparent that LED lighting has taken the automotive industry by storm!
An attractive option for your set of wheels
Industry players are focusing on the introduction of advanced LED lighting solutions as well as expanding their presence in growing automotive markets, with India and China being key focus areas. Operational costs are significantly lower in these countries and coupled with fast growing disposable incomes, they present a lucrative market for automotive LED lighting. Manufacturers in these two countries could cater not only to domestic demand but also to export markets.
Many leading manufacturers of advanced lighting solutions for the automotive industry have set up new plants in India and China in 2014-15. This is because most LED lighting modules use minimal power, which has a positive impact on a vehicle’s fuel efficiency and reduces its CO2 emissions. With ever-increasing fuel prices, fuel-efficient LED headlights are sure to attract the buyer’s attention.
Automotive LED lights have undergone various developments —daytime running lights (DRL), particularly, have witnessed the most impressive growth. This can be attributed to the high-efficiency LED technology that not only aids day and night vision, but also provides a stylish alternative. Owing to the falling LED prices, automotive LED lighting is gradually migrating from featuring only in premium models to medium-priced cars too. This means more customers can now enjoy the advantages of this technology at a price point that fits their budget.
The overall market penetration will increase significantly in emerging economies as LEDs achieve cost parity with conventional solutions that have dominated the automotive lighting market for decades. Even in developed countries, LED lights will continue to enter newer markets incrementally, as each new generation of cars takes increasing advantage of their performance and style potential. This trend also ties in with regulatory mandates, which require automobile manufacturers to adhere to certain feature-based norms for passenger safety.
The innovative edge
An LED lamp is made up of multiple small lighting units that can be successfully controlled with precision, allowing it to be an adaptive light source which can alter the shape of the beam in accordance with the movement of the vehicle. This is expected to be the key trend in 2015.
When we talk about LED lights for automobiles, LED headlights and tail lights are what first come to mind. Currently, LED headlamps represent only a small fraction of LED automotive lighting, but this sub-segment holds immense business potential driven mostly by the increasing adaptability of LED lamps in passenger cars, both for external and internal applications.
Though the current penetration of LED lights in automobiles is lower than conventional halogen lamps and xenon lamps, their use per vehicle will only increase due to the constant need for vehicle design differentiation and the introduction of new applications. The integration of smart electronics with innovative lighting concepts gives further impetus to the R&D initiatives of automotive companies.
Some LED lights provide designers excellent flexibility in creating new exterior and interior lighting styles, helping manufacturers to command significant price premiums. A comparison between the latest LED headlamps and high-intensity-discharge (HID) xenon lights revealed that the LED solutions were significantly more effective and versatile than xenon lamps. New LED applications include enhanced night vision and head-up displays, with newer features being constantly introduced. These include light bending for front lights, which provides drivers with a better view around corners, or interactive brake lights that can pulse-out information as required.
The differentiating factor
LED lights require a specific electronic control unit. This means they cannot be operated with the usual 12V on-board voltage as conventional light bulbs can. Certain arrangements of LED strands, like a collection of several individual LEDs, require a voltage of up to 75 volts. LED manufacturers have, over the years, developed light control units which have an input circuit that generates a suitable operating voltage. The electronics also controls light intensity by means of pulse-width modulation.
In combination with drive assistance systems, LED headlights enable other commuters or objects to be specifically identified and illuminated. And they can respond faster even during dim light situations.
What adds to the list of advantages is that LED lights are more efficient and have a service life of up to 10,000 hours. This is significantly longer than the approximately 1000 hours that conventional lights like halogens and xenon lights provide. Their energy consumption also remains considerably lower. A simple LED low-beam headlight requires only 18W as against 35W for its xenon counterpart. LED lights, moreover, are resistant to vibrations and do not require maintenance, which is often an area of concern with conventional lighting.
The worldwide scenario
The global automotive industry is witnessing a steady rise in demand and this has augured well for the LED industry as it is fast emerging as the preferred choice for all automotive lighting requirements. The demand is gradually moving towards aesthetic lighting, with smaller sizes and design versatility. Traditional halogen or xenon lamps are gradually being replaced by LED lights. The global market for automotive LED lights, is projected to reach US$ 2.5 billion by 2018, with a compounded annual growth rate of 9 per cent from 2014 to 2018.
Asia Pacific is emerging as the fastest growing region for LED automotive lighting, with China showing the highest implementation potential. Taiwan, Japan, Korea and India are the other countries offering great opportunities for growth. The automotive sector in these countries is witnessing exponential growth and this creates a huge scope for LED suppliers.
The European automotive market is already mature. It was the first to adopt and implement LED technology, which has since been successfully adopted by manufacturers around the globe. The European automotive industry has also always been at the forefront of implementing progressive automotive laws, many of which relate to lighting requirements.
These regulations have prompted automobile manufacturers to develop technologically advanced lighting systems. German auto manufacturers have always been keen on trying new technologies and European customers have been very receptive in adopting these technologies—adaptive lighting and laser lighting were first introduced in the European market.
A ‘luminous’ road ahead
The LED revolution for automobiles has taken safety, efficiency and design versatility to a whole new level, which offers something for everyone. Manufacturers gain market credibility, designers get to experiment with this innovative technology and buyers get an affordable lighting option which not only livens up their interiors, but also makes commuting a touch safer. All this, combined with the substantial environment benefits, makes LED lights an option the industry must adopt.
Reasons for a promising future
- Opportunities from the OEM segment for new vehicles
- A market willing to replace existing halogen based lights with LEDs
- Energy efficiency and visible design advantages offered
- After sales market for vehicles to get technology boost
- Auxiliary and accessory lighting market can expect long term benefits
“The government’s constant support to the automotive lighting industry has provided the much-needed boost to our manufacturing initiatives. Additional benefits such as incentives for third party LED product testing charges and design support for export houses are welcome moves. The ‘Make in India’ campaign aims at aiding engineering institutes and universities to develop new cost effective manufacturing practices for domestic players along with the freedom for manufacturers to hire professional LED designers, which aids the R&D initiatives at various levels.
—Sanjay Jain, senior vice president- marketing, Neokraft Global Pvt Ltd
“While a majority of the global manufacturers are using I/C based LED driver solutions, Indian manufacturers are still stuck with passive component-based LED driver solutions. India’s major exports are from the automotive industry and LED lights are starting to become a sizeable part of it. One area that needs to be developed, is the ability to make the LED in the country. The time is right for the Indian government to increase support for manufacturing LED semiconductors in the country, in order to successfully compete with global counterparts.
The major challenge facing this segment in India is pricing and price sensitivity. Price pressure has resulted in LED manufacturers adopting sub standard technology and poor quality products. For stakeholders in the automotive industry, the fast changing technology trends results in frequent occurrences of technology obsolescence. This poses a monumental challenge for small manufacturers.
—Ankit Bajaj, managing partner, Noble Electricals
By Anwesh Koley
