Constant innovations in the LED and intelligent lighting domain have resulted in low-maintenance and energy-efficient automotive lighting products.
By Baishakhi Dutta
Being lightweight, energy-efficient and having a small footprint is the new trend in the automotive lighting sector. And this is possible because of the recent technical innovations in the LED space. Because LEDs offer numerous benefits, they are being increasingly adopted in vehicles across the country.
The developments so far
“LEDs have replaced almost all light applications in the automotive sector, especially in the passenger car segment. All indicator, tail and brake lights are now LEDs and in some advanced models abroad, they are used even in headlights. LEDs eventually will replace even the headlamps in just a year or two. As it is, LEDs require only about 30 per cent of the power to give out the same or better light than the advanced metal halide lights they are replacing. Most automotive LED headlights are now only 30-35 watts as against 80-100 watts of metal halide type. There are some issues that need to be addressed, though. LEDs, being very sensitive to surges and spikes, are susceptible to sudden failures in automotive environments. Hence, special rugged LEDs need to be developed for automotive applications,” comments C.V. Ramana, CEO, Fidelity Systems.
Ankit Bajaj, managing partner, Noble Electricals, says, “Originally, LEDs in the automotive segment were only used for moving board displays (especially in public transport vehicles), and for static backlit applications or for decorative lighting. Gradually, the segment grew to enter backlighting and auxiliary lighting applications, and now LEDs are being used in headlights and for coach lighting.”
The latest developments at Noble Electricals in this segment include the manufacture of DRLs (daytime running lights) and LED fog lamps. According to Bajaj, the company makes use of numerous mid-power LEDs and integrates these with a diffuser to get a diffused output, which is very strong and is therefore visible during the day also. “In LED fog lamps, we make use of high power LEDs and integrate them with narrow beam convex lenses, so as to create a very focused light output. This is ideal to throw light over a very long distance,” Bajaj explains.
Advantages of using LEDs
LEDs have many significant advantages over conventional lights, which make them not only a lucrative option, but also an essential technology for manufacturers to adopt today. Some of the benefits are:
- The light temperature of the LEDs helps to achieve almost daylight quality.
- LEDs have an extremely long lifetime, often exceeding a vehicle’s life.
- Significantly lower energy consumption.
- More options on how to use the installation space for headlamps.
- LEDs offer a unique freedom and variety for the development of brand-specific styling elements.
What’s new in automotive lighting?
In the case of LEDs, more attention needs to be given to managing heat generation, which is a challenge for automotive engineers.
“LEDs have already replaced bulbs of all kinds in the automotive sector in all new models abroad. Most German and French models have been fitted with LED headlights. The trend is to find better and better LED lights now,” says Ramana.
Bajaj adds, “The latest trend in the LED automotive segment is the use of SMD LEDs. Earlier, through-hole LEDs were very popular in this segment, but have now been replaced by SMD LEDs. The use of high power LEDs in the automotive segment has suddenly become very popular. Integrating secondary optics with LED lights is the new way forward. As a result, these lights are now being used in places where they were not used earlier.”
Things to look for before making a purchase decision
“At present, there are no established brands available in India. Only Chinese imports of questionable quality are available. No local company has started manufacturing LED headlamps, though small indicator lamps and the overhead lamps are being made here. OEM manufacturing is yet to pick up. There is great scope for that in India,” Ramana believes.
Bajaj adds, “Lack of standards, especially in the automotive segment, or rather the lack of compulsion to adhere to them, is a very big challenge in the Indian market. There are not many standards for LED automotive lights presently. ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India) is the only regulatory body associated with the approval and certification of LED automotive lights. While purchasing an LED automotive light, Indian customers should look for ARAI approvals, apart from ensuring that the manufacturers have implemented the various standard safety measures to ensure the longevity of the LED light. These include input voltage protection, thermal protection and the IP rating of the light. If possible, they should also check if the manufacturer can provide them with a life test certificate.”
Suggestions to institutional buyers
Ramana’s words of advice are: “Watch closely. Talk to knowledgeable suppliers and NOT to traders. Look for local manufacturers who know about LED engineering, inside out. Automotive environments are very harsh and test the electronic systems to their limits. Ruggedness and overall engineering are very important in automotive applications.”
The global LED automotive lighting scenario
Ramana says, “LED lighting is already mainstream in automotive lighting abroad, and LEDs are being used in almost all automotive applications. The Chinese are leading the way in developing automotive lighting. India has not made any headway in this direction; so this is a great opportunity.”
“The Indian automotive LED lighting market is ranked fifth after China, Taiwan, Turkey and Germany. With growing support from the ruling government to manufacture in India, the industry is growing in terms of volume. One area in which I feel the industry lags behind drastically is technology—our Chinese counterparts are way ahead of us in terms of design, value engineering and in using technology. Whereas most of the industry (globally) is using IC based LED driver solutions, we are still stuck with passive component based LED drivers”, says Ramana.
“One area that I feel needs to develop is making LEDs in the country. The time is right for the Indian government to increase support for manufacturing the LED in the country. Unless we do this now, we cannot compete with China,” elaborates Bajaj.
“LED automotive lights are very different compared to commercial and residential LED lights. Since these lights are exposed to very different atmospheric conditions and are used in vehicles, they are prone to more wear and tear than normal. For instance, automotive lights are exposed to varied temperatures, humidity levels, high amounts of dust levels and vibrations. None of these factors need to be taken into account in the case of commercial and residential lights.
Keeping the above points in mind, my only suggestion to institutional buyers is that price should not be the only deciding factor while choosing the LED lights. As I mentioned earlier, approvals and safety protocols that a manufacturer adheres to should also be taken into consideration.”
—Ankit Bajaj, managing partner, Noble Electricals
Indian scenario
LED indicator lights are already being manufactured in India. So are back lights for dashboards. Tail lamps using LEDs are already being used in some Indian car models. These are made using low power LEDs. India is a hot country, and special care needs to be taken to develop suitable LED lights for its unique environment; this offers a great opportunity to local manufacturers.
With the help of industry veterans, we have compiled a comprehensive list of newly launched products in the Indian automotive lighting market. They are:
- Retrofit LED lamps that fit into the existing fixture by just replacing the bulbs with LED lamps
- DRLs or daytime running lights
- Decorative auxiliary lights for in-coach applications, outside vehicle applications and under-chassis lights
- LED based headlights/fog lamps
- LED marine lights
The road ahead
The Indian LED automotive lighting market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.22 per cent from 2016 to 2021, and reach US$ 29.53 billion by the year 2021. This market is driven by increasing production of vehicles, technological advances and, partly, by stringent regulations.
“India is the third largest automotive market in the world and has sufficient numbers to excite any manufacturer of automotive products. The only thing Indians are not ready for yet is to pay high premiums for luxury products. Indians will always look for ‘value for money’ products,” adds Ramana.
Bajaj adds, “The market opportunities are immense in the LED automotive lighting segment, which I feel is one of the most overlooked and under-rated—especially for a country like ours that is already strong in the automotive segment and in manufacturing low technology products at a lower price than China. I feel the LED automotive segment is just right for us. Unlike commercial lighting, the wear and tear of automotive lights is much higher as vehicles are exposed to varied environments and are mobile. The theft of accessories is a major challenge in this segment. So the after-sales market is huge for automotive lighting.”
To sum up, the automotive lighting market is witnessing immense growth, presenting huge opportunities to manufacturers. Three major reasons for this growth are:
- More new vehicles on the road.
- Replacement of existing halogen based lights by LEDs – for energy efficiency and design advantages.
- A big after-sales market for vehicles.
