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Suppliers expect adoption of interior surface lighting to increase over next three to seven years
06 April 2020
Interior surface lighting is where "light meets surface", and
this is achieved by concealing lighting behind a layer of fabric
within the surfaces of a vehicle's passenger compartment. According
to IHS Markit research, vehicle buyers nowadays prefer vehicle
exteriors with hidden or concealed light sources as a distinctive
decorative appearance for their vehicles. Similarly, the use of
concealed interior lighting may also prove to be a desirable
decorative feature. This type of lighting has recently gained
traction, driven by changing consumer preferences. IHS Markit
expects this technology to grow faster in premium vehicles in
Europe, in terms of the adoption rate.
What is surface lighting in a car?
Interior lighting is generally used for two purposes: one is to
provide general area illumination, and the other is to feature
lighting of specific objects, either for aesthetic or functional
reasons. In surface lighting, the light source, such as a
light-emitting diode (LED), is recessed into the interior structure
of the vehicle and covered with a layer of fabric. The light source
is invisible when it is not in use. However, the light from it
shines through the fabric or the foam layer when illuminated. A
light-transmitting member, such as a light bar, light panel, or
light pipe, can be used to provide illumination over a specified
area from one or more LED light sources. Such type of lighting
arrangement can be mounted inside a vehicle in various locations,
such as on vertically oriented pillars, door panels, seat backs,
seat fronts, and console sides. Such lighting can be as narrow as a
pinpoint or as broad as the entire headliner of the vehicle
roof.
According to Scottish LED lighting technology company designLED,
generally, two types of approaches can be used: the edge-lit
approach and the direct-lit approach. In the conventional edge-lit
approach, to reduce the number of LEDs used to illuminate a
surface, light-guiding optics are used to spread the light over a
large area, with a thin form factor. Usually, the light-guiding
optics are injection-molded polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) plates,
with LED modules located at one or more edges of the light-guiding
plate. Sometimes, woven optical fiber technology is used. In the
direct-lit approach, which is suitable for dynamic-addressable
"pixels" of backlighting of surface materials, more conventional
matrix arrays of LEDs are used. One of the features of the
direct-lit approach is that a small LED pitch (with a small
distance between the devices) is needed owing to the thinness
required. Therefore, a huge number of LEDs are needed in the
solution to cover large areas.
Key suppliers
Dräxlmaier is helping automakers use light as an innovative kind
of brand communication in the premium segment. In surface lighting,
the company offers Paspol, which is a variant of ambient lighting.
In the Paspol system, a fiber optic light is integrated into
leather or vinyl surfaces. The company also offers MP Paspol, which
is a combination of MP light and Paspol—a uniformly
illuminated, flexible light guide that is encased in leather, the
surface of which in turn is given a micro-perforated laser-treated
pattern.
Continental currently focuses on integrating digital functions
in decorative surfaces, such as light integration into surfaces.
The latest example is its translucent Acella Hylite, which was
launched in May 2019. This material enables special lighting
effects that can be used, for example, for backlighting a vehicle
door. "Varying light sources can be used to create customized color
effects or to light up warning signals on surfaces not previously
used. It will soon be possible, for instance, to integrate
functions directly in the surfaces," Dr. Alexander Jockisch, head
of business development and marketing for surface materials in
Continental's Benecke-Hornschuch Surface Group business unit said
at the time of unveiling the product in July 2017.
designLED offers a hybrid solution between the edge-lit approach
and the direct-lit approach. The company offers a mechanically
flexible, light-guide plate-type solution, but with LEDs
distributed in a matrix array inside the light guide. This enables
the dynamic-addressable capability delivered by the direct-lit
system, with the thinness associated with the edge-lit system.
French startup EFI Lighting, a subsidiary of the EFI Automotive
Group, is focused on addressing the challenges of integrating
lighting into the vehicle's interior surface and develop flexible
lighting for curved surfaces. The company's Lightex technology is a
patented optical fiber weaving and surface treatment principle
developed for light diffusion. EFI's light guides are flexible
tubes containing a bundle of optical fibers specially designed to
uniformly diffuse light over their full length.
Another German player, SCHOTT, offers linear fiber optic light
guides that focus light in a specific direction, highlight
textures, and instill a feeling of comfort. According to the
company website, SCHOTT SideLight is a patented technology using
glass fiber optics and can be used in the panoramic roof, center
console, and door panels, among other areas. In combination with
highly effective LEDs, homogeneous lighting effects can be created
even if available space is limited. Another offering is SCHOTT
MultiLight, which combines several functionalities in a single
light guide harness using only one light source. It can be used in
the instrument panel, door panel, center console, and glove
box.
Market outlook
Interior surface lighting is expected to offer some interesting
growth and value generation opportunities in the vehicle lighting
systems market. Surface lighting will give more options for
personalization of vehicles and thus provide growth opportunities
for suppliers working in this field. In surface lighting, use of
different materials can help create various effects, including
matte, glossy, and chrome. Surface-mounted LEDs will allow
designers to place lights where it was not possible earlier.
IHS Markit anticipates adoption of surface lighting in vehicles
will gain significant traction around 2022-23, with most of this
growth expected to be driven by the luxury vehicle segment. The
Audi A4 and Q3, the Jaguar F‑PACE, and the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupé
are some of the luxury models that already feature this type of
lighting technology. The European market is expected to drive the
highest growth for surface lighting applications initially,
followed by the US and mainland Chinese markets.
Dr. James Gourlay, chief technical officer (CTO) and technical
director at designLED told IHS Markit in an interview that much of
the company's focus in Europe is on "premium and luxury models"
because consumers in this segment are more discerning and have more
disposable income, prompting them to demand and purchase this
upscale feature to acquire uniqueness or "bragging rights". Gourlay
added, "Inevitably, this will cascade to higher-volume, lower-cost
models in time as the designLED-patented technology allows for
reduced LED count and most likely will be implemented in all but
utility of budget models." "Ultimately though, we see adoption
taking place already, scaling over the next 3-7 years and reaching
maturity in 8-10 years," Gourlay added. According to Gourlay,
designLED is "already seeing significant momentum in Asia as time
to market is significantly shorter, and Asian, especially Chinese
manufacturers, are proving faster at getting innovation into the
market to meet emerging needs and desires from the consumer in the
areas of personalization and customization".
Dräxlmaier believes increasing consumer preferences for
value-added features in a vehicle that offer a balance of
functionality and aesthetic appeal will fuel growth of the
automotive interior surface lighting market. "The market for
interior surface lighting is driven by factors such as high
individualization and the demand for premium interiors," Thomas
Wallner, head of Product and Innovation Marketing at Dräxlmaier
Group, told IHS Markit in an interview.
There are certain challenges to integrating lighting into
interior surfaces, including limited installation space and heat
from the light source. The light source used should be a low-heat
light source, such as LED or a flexible light pipe as it resolves
any problems associated with heat from the light source. "As the
requirements grow from lines of light to surface areas of light,
the development of thin, integrated, and cost-effective solutions
becomes more difficult. If further "light where you want it" or
addressable dynamic areas are required, then this becomes more
difficult," added Gourlay.
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