Smart Headlight Meant to Make Night Driving Safer

Osram Opto Semiconductors introduces the Eviyos prototype, billed by the German maker of lighting products as the world’s first hybrid LED.

When Eviyos is in use, the appropriate pixels are automatically switched off as soon as oncoming traffic is detected to prevent drivers of oncoming vehicles from being blinded, Osram says in a news release.

Developed in a μAFS research project coordinated by Osram and including industrial-sector partners such as Daimler, the Eviyos prototype combines two technologies in one component: a light-emitting chip and individual pixel control electronics. This combination accommodates the 1,024 pixels of Eviyos, as well as the driver, in a small footprint of approximately 4 mm (0.15 in.) x 4 mm.

The light source has a minimum luminous flux per pixel of 3 lumens at 11 milliAmpere. Initial prototypes already have exhibited more than 4.6 lumens per pixel. Customers can vary the number of hybrid LEDs in their applications and supplement them with conventional LEDs, depending on requirements, Osram says.

Eviyos not only is compact and powerful but also is energy-efficient thanks to the precise control and dimmable feature of the individual pixel. The only pixels turned on are the ones actually needed at the time.

“Eviyos is a prime example of our mission to improve the quality and performance of lighting applications with the integration of silicon-semiconductor-advanced technologies,” says Mike Godwin, director-automotive LED marketing for Osram. “More than half of all accidents occur at night. Eviyos will help make our roads safer while improving comfort and convenience for drivers.”

Osram plans to launch Eviyos in early 2020 as part of a separate product family, offering a range of possible applications including smart headlights.

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