Industry Focus: Automotive


Figure 1: Single-chip solution for high-power LED applications


that 30 per cent of accidents in 2015 occurred at night. Another factor may have been that sealed-beam units left glare control solely in the hands of the driver. Bulbs have progressed through


Pixel level headlamp control Vehicle lighting has moved on significantly since the original sealed-beam lamps that only had high- and low-beam as an option. In fact, the limited functionality of these basic lighting systems may well have been a significant contributor to the US NHTSA’s report2


incandescent, xenon and halogen to improve brightness and now migrated to a matrix of LEDs to maintain brightness while reducing power consumption and heat. What’s more, this matrix approach (in combination with ADAS systems) enables adaptive driving beam (ADB) lighting technology. This technology leverages cameras and other sensors to adapt the headlight beam according to road type, weather conditions and driver inputs (e.g. indicator or steering wheel), and so allows control of the beam to suit the road scene, including mitigating dazzle to other road users, improving road safety.


The challenge for designers in developing these ADB systems lies in the complexity and cost. The matrix of LEDs must be driven efficiently and controlled down to the individual LED / pixel level, based upon inputs from the ADAS system. The design must be resilient to EMI and must guard against any spurious operation that could dazzle other road users, potentially leading to an accident.


Integrated SoCs support advanced lighting


To help engineers address the challenges of driving and controlling next-generation automotive LED designs, semiconductor


www.cieonline.co.uk.


manufacturers are developing highly integrated system-on-chip (SoC) controllers that deliver performance and efficiency while minimizing size, weight and component count. Figure 1, for example, shows how an example of an indie Semiconductor LED matrix controller SoC with integrated Arm processor, memory and power management unit (PMU) that implements a step-down buck converter and two on-chip voltage regulators, can simplify the design’s complexity and reduce the cost of a small form factor, high-power, flexible lighting system capable of driving up to 24 LEDs or eight RGB channels. These new-generation SoCs support advanced operating modes that enable manufacturers to offer headlights with very precise and selective illumination, automatic LED flashing, or ‘animated’ lights without the need for an additional control processor.


The future


As automakers continually seek ways to enhance safety, reduce energy consumption and provide value to the car-buying public, lighting will play an increasingly important role in vehicle design. The future will see further advances in LED-based solutions for exterior and interior lighting – including the increased use of intelligent, AI-based lighting designs that can further sense the vehicle environment and driver behaviour and mood and match vehicle lighting accordingly.


References 1


https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/


automotive-led-lighting-market-A10752 2


https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ Publication/812384.pdf


https://indiesemi.com/ Components in Electronics November 2023 17


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