Light emitting diodes, called LEDs (light emitting diodes), are used everywhere today: from the cheapest flashlights or smartphone flashes to cars. However, when LED technology was first used in car lights almost 20 years ago, it was thought that it would only be enjoyed by the select few who could afford the most luxurious models. Time has shown that this is not entirely true. Car manufacturers started using LEDs even to create their identity.
The wider use of LED technology has been made possible by the cheaper production of light-emitting diodes, and it is estimated that LED-type lighting devices can last 25 times longer than other similar devices used in the automotive industry. Today, it is hard to imagine a modern car without this type of lights.
LEDs are everywhere: from dashboards and touch screens, to sophisticated lights that delight the eyes of drivers and allow you to recognize the car of your favorite brand from afar.
Untied the hands of designers
For example, manufacturers such as Peugeot, which used LED bulbs in car headlights around 2012, emphasized that small lighting elements untied the hands of designers. As light sources became more compact, design specialists had more space for creative solutions. The fruits of their labor have also become a kind of signature of the Peugeot brand.
Another breakthrough was the advent of OLEDs - organic light-emitting diodes. The latter are thinner and more flexible. Conventional LEDs are like luminous dots, while OLEDs allow you to illuminate the entire surface evenly, and they can be in a wide variety of shapes.
It is an ideal choice for implementing car interior design ideas. So OLED, according to experts, was wonderful news for the automotive industry.
The ways of use are increasing
What's more: after analyzing the trends in the automotive industry, the international research company Mordor Intelligence indicated that the need for LED technology will only grow. LEDs are used to create smart lighting systems, as well as laser technology-based lighting systems, light projections, three-dimensional, background lighting, etc.
In other words, LEDs are used almost everywhere that a car needs to provide safety, comfort, help communicate with the driver or simply look good.
According to Mordor Intelligence, research and investments in this field by the largest automotive technology companies indicate that LED technology will take an increasing market share in the automotive industry.
The research company "TrendForce", which analyzed the possibilities and spread of light-emitting diodes, announced that in 2020, LEDs were used in 53.1 percent. passenger cars and 85 percent electric cars. According to the researchers, there is not the slightest doubt about the further growth of the market share occupied by LED technology.
There are no alternatives in the salon
Although LED technology was first implemented in car lights, it turns out that there are almost no alternatives when it comes to the interior of the vehicle. First of all, due to the increasing number of screens installed in front of the driver's eyes, in the central console of the car. Not only their number is increasing, but also their size.
However, when the driver gets into the car and drives it, it is important not only to properly illuminate all the screens of various shapes and sizes, but also to dim various parts of the car properly so that they do not distract or disturb road users. LED technologies are ideal for this.
For example, Cadillac installs screens in some of its models that have more than 3,000 zones that can be dimmed depending on the driver's wishes.
Market experts promise a bright future for the so-called "Micro LED" technology. It is becoming popular due to compliance with safety requirements, because car manufacturers must ensure that, when the airbag deploys, a person does not have to protect himself from a hail of broken glass. "Micro LED" technology allows you to create various color images in the car interior, display the necessary information and avoid glass screens.
Researchers assure that in the future, when smart self-driving cars will be on the road and most of their interior will be covered with information and entertainment screens, this technology will become even more effective.
Lighting alone is not enough
Although expert forecasts are extremely favorable for LED technology, there is no need to look far into the future: car manufacturers are already implementing these technologies in their vehicles and offering drivers well-recognized solutions.
For example, German car manufacturers such as Audi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW are well known to motorists around the world for using hundreds of LEDs in the lights of their products. They provide an opportunity to see absolutely everything on the road and not dazzle other road users, illuminate obstacles, and indicate the direction the driver should turn with special projections on the road.
Investments are made not only on the outside, but also on the inside: the ability to install smart lighting that adapts to the driver's needs and moods has given new colors to the interior design. Just by using colors and light points, you can create the impression of a luxurious interior, make the driver feel more refreshed and direct his attention to where it matters most, create an impression of space, and so on. - this was the conclusion reached more than a decade ago by BMW lighting specialists after interviewing dozens of drivers.
However, studies show that just an abundance of LEDs and rainbow-colored lamps is not enough for drivers - a complex of solutions is needed so that the people sitting in the car are fully satisfied with the ergonomics, arrangement of devices, lighting and information presentation.
You don't have to look far for examples. Back in 2012, the French manufacturer Peugeot presented a convenient "workplace" for the driver called "i-Cockpit".
The French have applied many ergonomic solutions: they installed a small steering wheel, a dashboard and a large touch screen at the driver's eye level, they used LED technology to give unique sensations and make people want to experience them again. The aim was for the changes in the driver's workplace to be revolutionary, but in a good way: so that once you get in, you don't want to get out, and long journeys become a pleasure.
As Peugeot experts explain, it seems that even the simplest decisions have a bearing on how the driver feels in the car. For example, after a lot of research, it was decided what color LED lighting schemes to offer drivers, so that these match their mood, but have an inconspicuous effect on driving.
Research on how to best place the devices and information screens needed by the driver determined the manufacturer's choices. Peugeot researchers said that by installing an i-Cockpit-style driving position with a smaller steering wheel and a higher-mounted dashboard, the amount of time drivers spend looking at the road increased from 93 percent. up to 95 percent Another important change is that thanks to the innovations applied by Peugeot, drivers check their speed three times more often than before.
An even more modern step is the three-dimensional instrument panel introduced with the new 208 model: the driver can see the most important information immediately and has the option of choosing one of 8 different interior lighting colors. Research shows that this feature allows the driver to adapt the car space according to their mood and mood.
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