The development of the organic light emitting diode (OLED) lighting market has not as fast as many analysts had predicted. However, there are plenty of niche opportunities where OLED lighting is making headway due to its design advantages, with the automotive market becoming one of the leading sectors.
 
BMW and Audi have already shown concepts that are striking, with Audi showcasing its Matrix OLED lighting, in which individual lights are turned on and shut off to keep from blinding oncoming cars.
 
Marc Lünnemann, OSRAM OLED GmbH’s CEO, recently discussed the gains being made in the automotive lighting market during a presentation at LOPEC 2015. During Lünnemann’s talk, titled “OLED in Automotive Lighting: Opportunities & Challenges,” he showed the OSRAM demonstrator tail lights, which are a hybrid of OLED and LED lighting.
 
“Automotive is the first wave for OLEDs,” he noted. “The first OLED application will be on tail lights.” Lünnemann added that interior lighting, stop light indicators and accent lighting are also being developed.
 
The advantages that OLEDs deliver – flexibility and design – bode well for taillights, where segmentation can be designed into the car’s appearance. OLED’s ability to be bendable, absolutely clear without haze and also lightweight are benefits as well. The ability to no longer require reflectors is another advantage.
 
“The OLED market is strongly design oriented,” Lünnemann observed. “Segmentation, transparency and flexibility are key features. For example, using different brightness levels with sharp steps can create 3D effects. Individualization of dynamic scenarios is possible.”
 
The automotive market is far different that the general lighting field. For example, Lünnemann pointed out that the operational lifetime for general lighting is far longer than a car – 5,000 hours compared to 1,000 hours – but the product’s lifetime for a car is 20 years, as opposed to 10 years for a general light.
 
A more dramatic difference can be found in temperature requirements. While a home may reach 25°C (77°F), a car runs a lot hotter, and is expected to function at 105°C (221°F). For that reason, OSRAM has researched a number of issues, including high temperatures, exposure to sunlight and harsh environment.
 
Lünnemann said that he believes that the first products to market will likely be in 2016, and added that OSRAM had a good response to its designs at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
 
“We expect the first volumes for OLEDs in 2016,” he said. “The BMW M4 at CES 2015 can switch its taillights between sport and comfort modes, with some of the OLEDs not being lit up.
 
“OSRAM is expecting automotive readiness short-term,” Lünnemann concluded. “The OLED market is strongly design driven, and automotive is a major innovation driver for OLEDs,