Lighting is a key differentiating factor in automotive design, playing an increasingly important role in personalization and safety, and semiconductors are undoubtedly the key components driving innovation trends in automotive lighting. In recent years, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been widely used in automotive lighting applications. Compared with incandescent lamps, LED based lighting systems have a longer lifespan, lower power consumption, and higher design flexibility. These features make it highly suitable for automotive interior lighting applications. In addition, with the continuous advancement of technology, white LED with lower cost and higher light output per watt has emerged, making LED more suitable for various lighting applications inside automobiles.

LED has a wide range of applications in automobiles, such as being installed in the interior of the car roof or the lower interior of the car door, focusing light on specific areas inside and outside the car. LEDs can also be integrated near door handles, keyholes, pedals, cup holders, or as turn signals on rearview mirrors. The shape of the illuminated indicator can be very simple or very exquisite to meet precise lighting, providing convenience and aesthetics for people.

Luxury lighting solution crosses the mid to low end car market

From an application perspective, automotive lighting is divided into internal and external lighting. Today, most car interior lighting uses bright white LED drivers and RGB red green blue programmable drivers. And external lighting is no longer limited to headlights and taillights, body lighting (such as identification lights and door handles) and external RGB have been used in luxury cars, and are expected to penetrate into mid to low end cars.

1. Today's Automotive Interior Lighting - White Light

White LED is mainly used for applications that require relatively high brightness, such as ceiling lights, reading lights, cargo lights, etc. It is different from standard light bulbs and can provide drivers with a warm and comfortable atmosphere. Automobile manufacturers using white LED can provide different ambient lighting options, from simply controlling on/off with separate white LED drivers to more complex dimming slopes, to produce unique and differentiated shapes and effects, such as gradually turning off or gradually turning on to produce dramatic effects.

2. Current Automotive Interior Lighting - RGB

RGB and white LED complement each other, and their development is driven by further personalized power for vehicles, used as programmable internal light sources, including dashboard, center console, navigation/audio and other area lighting, as well as special effects applications such as ambient lighting.

3. Today's car taillights

From a single LED in the past to opaque and uniform light strips now, from animated signals to flashing signal lights that sweep, drivers have become an important part of the evolution of car taillights. In addition to constantly innovating in appearance such as shape and image, they also improve safety factors and support start stop pressure drop and adaptive environmental lighting conditions, which are key to meeting energy-saving requirements of car manufacturers and governments. For such applications, ON Semiconductor provides linear stabilizers and controllers.

4. Today's car headlights

LED headlights are commonly used in daytime running lights (DRL), and the two most common solutions are light guiding LED and LED string. These DRL applications not only provide better visibility to oncoming vehicles, but car manufacturers also rely on the flexibility of LEDs and LED drivers to personalize their vehicles and establish unique 'visual' brands.

Advanced headlights for luxury cars are no longer limited to DRL, high beam, and low beam. Car manufacturers can also choose designs such as LED turn signals, LED fog lights, and highway spotlights, as well as adopt headlight systems that combine HID and LED solutions, and even future full LED lights. Driven by the trend towards more individuality, safety, and energy efficiency, consideration is being given to modularizing the platform from low-cost 'entry-level low beam headlights' to high-end fully functional 'advanced lighting systems', providing various innovations for automotive manufacturers.