Are OLEDs the future of automotive lighting?

What specific new functions and advantages can this type of lighting provide?

OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) could indeed play an important role in the future of automotive lighting, although they are currently still in development and are not as common as LED or laser lights. Nevertheless, OLEDs have several unique characteristics that could contribute to their greater popularity in cars. First of all, OLEDs are unique in their flexibility. They can be manufactured as thin, flexible and transparent panels, which offers enormous design possibilities. In automotive applications, this means that more complex, modern and stylish shapes can be created for headlights, rear lamps and daytime running lights (DRLs). Additionally, OLEDs can offer more advanced lighting personalisation options, including dynamic, changing patterns and colors. A second very important advantage is that OLEDs emit a uniform light across the entire surface, which differs from LEDs, which are often more spotty. This feature is particularly attractive in tail lights and signal lights, where uniform illumination can improve visibility and aesthetics. Like LEDs, OLEDs are energy efficient, which is key in modern vehicles, especially with the increasing popularity of electric cars.

It is worth mentioning that OLEDs, thanks to their structure, are resistant to shock and vibration, which is beneficial in cars exposed to heavy use. The lifespan of OLEDs is also increasing, thanks to advances in organic technology, making them long-lasting and low-maintenance. OLED-type solutions in the future may be used in more advanced systems, among others, adaptive, similar to Matrix LED systems. They can adapt dynamically to road conditions, adjusting the intensity and shape of the light according to the situation. In combination with sensors, OLEDs could, for example, dynamically change the brightness or direction of light to better illuminate bends or pedestrians without blinding other road users. OLEDs could also play an important role in car-to-X communication systems, enabling dynamic light communication between vehicles and the environment. For example, OLEDs can display changing light patterns that signal to other drivers or pedestrians the vehicle’s intentions, e.g. intention to change lanes, warning of danger, etc.

However, it is important to note that, despite their many advantages, OLEDs also face some challenges with this technology, which may delay their development and adaptation. The first and most important seems to be the challenge of cost, as OLEDs are currently much more expensive to produce than classic LEDs, making this type of solution available primarily in premium cars. Another challenge is luminous efficiency Although OLEDs are more energy efficient than older technologies, they are still inferior in luminous efficiency to LEDs, especially in applications requiring high brightness.

OLEDs have great potential in automotive, especially in the context of modern design, personalisation and the development of light communication between vehicles. Although the technology still faces some challenges, over time it could become an important part of future lighting systems, especially in premium cars and autonomous vehicles.

Can you predict the direction in which automotive lighting will evolve in the near future?

Yes, it is possible to predict some key trends in the evolution of automotive lighting for the coming years, based on current technologies and trends in the automotive industry. Automotive lighting has already undergone a major evolution, from the classic halogen bulbs through to xenons, with LED technology and laser lights now dominating the market. It is therefore possible to distinguish several potential directions in which automotive lighting may evolve in the coming years.

LED and OLED technologies

It seems that LED and OLED lighting will continue to be the leading trend in the near future. LEDs are currently the most popular in modern vehicles because they are energy efficient, long-lasting and allow greater flexibility in the design of lights. LED technology will be further improved in the future, especially in terms of reducing energy consumption and improving brightness.

OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) technology has also developed strongly recently and could indeed play an important role in the future of automotive lighting, although it is currently still in the development phase and not as widespread as LED. Nevertheless, OLEDs have several unique features that could contribute to their greater popularity in cars. This technology enables the creation of more flexible and thin light elements. OLEDs emit uniform light across the entire surface, which differs from LEDs, which are often more spotty in nature. This feature is particularly attractive in tail lights and signal lights, where uniform illumination can improve visibility and aesthetics. Despite their many advantages, OLEDs have some challenges that may delay their full adoption such as cost (OLEDs are currently more expensive to produce than LEDs), and luminous efficiency (still inferior in efficiency to LEDs).

Laser lights

One of the most interesting and promising directions is the progress in the use of laser light sources. Laser light sources are expected to provide entirely new possibilities for the design of headlights, among other things. Laser lights, which have already appeared in premium cars (e.g. BMW and Audi), offer even better efficiency and brightness compared to LEDs (Example: it is four times greater compared to LEDs). They allow a longer range of luminous flux while consuming less energy. A wider adoption of laser lights can be expected in the future, especially in high-performance cars.

A laser headlamp is built in such a way that there is a set of lasers in the rear of the headlamp that emit light beams. These beams are directed to a mirror that changes their course. After reflecting off the mirror, the beams - clustered into one - hit a phosphor plate, which thanks to its properties changes the color of the light to a warmer color. After passing through the plate, the light beam is scattered and then directed to a reflector in the reflector, which projects the light directly onto the road.

Adaptive lighting (Matrix LED and others)

Matrix LED is the next step in the evolution of automotive lighting technology, which combines state-of-the-art LED headlights with cameras and vehicle sensors. Adaptive lighting (Matrix LED) is an advanced headlight system that automatically adapts the light beam to road conditions, improving visibility and safety without blinding other road users. The system uses multiple individually controlled LEDs that can dynamically change their settings depending on what is happening on the road. In addition, when the Matrix LED system detects oncoming traffic or vehicles ahead of you (via cameras and sensors), it switches off part of the LEDs illuminating that particular area of the road. The remaining parts of the beam remain active, providing maximum visibility in other areas without blinding other drivers.

The big advantage of this system/solution is greater control over the lighting. Matrix LED improves visibility in difficult weather conditions, on bends, or in situations where other lighting systems may not offer such precision. The headlights can dynamically adjust the illumination depending on speed, road type and other variables. In the future, Matrix LED may become even more advanced, integrated with autonomous driving technology and vehicle-to-vehicle communication (Car-to-X), enabling even better adaptation of lighting to the environment. In addition, the technology may evolve into more precise systems, such as Digital Light, which will be able to display warnings or information on the road for the driver and other road users.

Car-to-X communication through lights

With the development of autonomous technologies, car lights can perform the function of communication between vehicles, pedestrians or road infrastructure (e.g. informing of upcoming maneuvers or dangers). Such functions can be performed by dynamic directional lights or warning signals displayed on the vehicle. Car-to-X communication (or C2X communication) is an innovative technology that enables a vehicle to communicate with its environment, including other vehicles, road infrastructure, pedestrians and the Internet in real time.

The benefits of Car-to-X communication are primarily increased safety (by exchanging information between vehicles and the environment, drivers are warned of hazards much earlier than they could notice them themselves) and smoother traffic flow (by synchronizing with traffic lights and better coordinating vehicles, Car-to-X can help reduce congestion by optimizing traffic flow). Car-to-X is also a key element in the development of autonomous cars. These vehicles need not only sensors and radars, but also the ability to communicate with other vehicles and infrastructure to make better decisions on the road.

Personalisation and decorative lighting

The exterior and interior lighting of cars will be increasingly oriented towards personalisation. Already, manufacturers offer the possibility to customize the colors of interior lighting, but in the future, users may have even more opportunities to choose and customize lighting elements on the outside of the vehicle.

Holographic technologies

Although it is a more futuristic vision, given technological solutions that not long ago seemed impossible, holographic technology could find applications in automotive lighting, such as creating three-dimensional lighting effects. This could improve visibility on the road and also add a modern look to vehicles.

All these developments indicate that the future of automotive lighting will be based not only on improving performance and safety, but also on personalisation and interaction with the environment.

Bartłomiej Szternal
Product Manager