Automotive
OLED light presents unique design possibilities and new functionalities to the automotive industry. Lighting is vital to design, function, and branding in the automotive industry.
Automotive Lighting Design and Innovation with OLED Light
It has been and will be even more relevant in the future with the expansion of electrical vehicles and autonomous cars imminent. The automotive segment is redefining the role of lighting in vehicles. OLED lighting is a surface light source and is one of the best things you can do for rear display of a vehicle. Lighting has been used for brand differentiation in the automotive industry for years. OLED light’s robust technology, enables innovative and distinct OLED light designs that reinforce brand experience. OLEDWorks is collaborating with innovative car manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers to utilize the benefits of OLED light to increase safety on the road and energize the consumer experience – join us as we revolutionize the future of automotive lighting.
Deep Red for Automotive
The first OLED light qualified for automotive, meeting ECE/SAE color regulations and automotive performance requirements, is deep red for tail light applications. OLEDWorks’ innovative formulation enables high luminance at a long lifetime, even at elevated temperatures.
Unmatched Uniformity
Brightness and color uniformity convey elegance, quality and simplicity in design. OLED lighting has incomparable uniformity, naturally, without waveguides or optics. This superior performance holds true at all brightness levels, within OLED elements and across multiple panels.
Lightweight and Ultra-thin
OLEDs are extremely thin, <1mm, and lightweight and remain so when integrated into lighting modules, a system free of heavy heatsinks and bulky optics. Fewer parts facilitates a simplified supply chain. Thinner parts enable more usable space for consumer. Lightweight components reduce fuel consumption.
Intrinsic Segmentation
OLED panels can be designed to have multiple, individually addressable segments providing high contrast ratio between segments without crosstalk. This is achieved within the panel design and does not diminish the thinness, the uniformity or quality of the light.
Manufacturing Quality and Capabilities
High volume production is manufactured using lean principle in our Aachen, Germany facility. Essential to the manufacturing system are comprehensive quality control, reporting and industrial MES systems. Product reliability is supported by in-house environmental test laboratory and equipment.
The OLEDWorks manufacturing facility is IATF 16949 and ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 certified with full traceability via a factory MES system.
Communication
Car-to-X Communication is becoming a more important element in rear combination lamps in automotive vehicles. People benefit if they have a better understanding of what is happening on the road. OLED lighting is the perfect solution for this.
Development
With OLED technology leadership, state-of-the-art production competencies and strategic industry collaborations, OLEDWorks is uniquely positioned to bring the next generation of OLED solutions to the transportation markets. In addition to red, rigid technology platforms in development include amber OLED, white OLED, and others, as well as in automotive grade flexible configurations.
Advantages of OLED Technology
Dr. Michael Kruppa, Head of Rear Lamp Development, Audi AG
Using OLED Technology in Automotive
Dr. Michael Kruppa, Head of Rear Lamp Development, Audi AG
FAQs
How bright are your automotive OLED panels?
Our ECE/SAE qualified red automotive panels have two stacks at 1000 cd/m2 each, for a total brightness of 2000 cd/m2. This brightness is more than suitable for automotive tail applications.
What is the lifetime of your automotive OLED panels?
This depends on the mission or operating profile and specifications. We follow AEC-Q-102 testing procedures for all our products and incorporate customer-specific qualification tests to ensure manufacturing and lifetime requirements are met.
What testing is done for automotive OLED panels?
For automotive applications, OLED panels pass all validation tests (typically thousands of hours), including:
- High temperature and humidity storage and operation (up to 85C/85%RH)
- Low temperature operation (down to -40°C)
- High temperature storage (up to 105°C)
- Thermal shock (down to -40°C and up to 85°C)
- Mechanical shock and vibration
- Corrosive gas and ESD
What size OLED panels can you make?
The technology itself has almost zero theoretical size limits, but there are practical considerations in production that limit the possibilities of size. Every panel must have approximately 5mm of unlit edge on each side for handling, and 10mm on the side with the FPC. So a very small emitter area, let’s say 1mm x 1mm, would grow to 11mm x 16mm for the entire panel. On the opposite extreme, large OLED panels are limited by production capabilities and decreased yield.
How are OLEDs fixed in housing?
At the operating conditions of the taillight, the OLED is attached to an injection molded polymer housing using a double-sided pressure sensitive adhesive.
What colors are available for rear automotive OLED lighting?
Currently, rear lighting is available in ECE/SAE qualified red. Both amber and white OLED lighting are in development for rear automotive applications.
Why OLED?
OLED lighting creates a whole new world of opportunities for working with light. OLED is a solid-state lighting technology that has many benefits over traditional options. It is a premium light source that’s as elegant as it is functional and easy to use. The benefits of OLED include:
Design
- Surface light, Homogeneous
- Ultra-thin
- Perfectly Defined Segmentation
- Conformable/Flexible
- Super High Contrast Ratio
- Glare-free for Interior
- Mirror Finish
- Branding
Safety
- Segmentation for Communication
- Car-to-X and Car-to-Car Communication
- Signage, Lettering
- Glare-free
- No Flicker for Interior
- Healthy, No Harmful UV or Blue Light
- ECE/SAE Compliant
- High Temperature Resistance
Environment & Power
- Energy Efficient Homogeneity
- Light Weight
- Reduced Space
- Recyclable
- Sustainable Materials
- Reduced System Power Level
- Long Lifetime
- Highly Efficient Red, Amber, and White
Testimonials
Dr. Michael Kruppa
Head of Rear Lamp Development
We have 3,500 hours, 85-85, so this is climatic conditions you find in the tropic forest. So, we are really trying to squeeze out the maximum of these parts. They don’t fail. So, in the end what you can see here is really serious quality, serious production, and we can apply this to any kind of car.
Dr. Michael Kruppa
Head of Rear Lamp Development
The simple thing is, it’s a surface light source. So, in the end you don’t have to scatter the light which is being emitted from a point light source, so you have a perfect intrinsic optical efficiency, which is way better than any LED solution.
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