Steffen Pietzonka, Hella’s Automotive Vice President of Marketing, says styling is the current main factor for OEMs selecting an LED headlamp option. “Our LED system clearly contributes to distinctive styling that differentiates the Audi A6 from other luxury cars,” he says, for example.
While styling is important now, Pietzonka sees a future when fuel economy and efficiency are increasingly important reasons for selecting LED lighting. Expect more from Hella in the near future. “For model years 2013 through 2016, we have requests to supply LED headlamps to 40 different models,” he states. While LED lighting is currently an option for high-end luxury cars, he notes that half of these current requests are in midrange and lower segments. LEDs are expanding beyond luxury cars.
Cost is still an issue. What might drive this down? “We need standards to reduce the individual piece cost of individual LEDs,” he comments. Such standards could include driver circuits, as well as shapes of individual LEDs. Pietzonka says if it’s done in a thoughtful manner, this should not cause undue difficulty in creating unique, brand-specific shapes for headlamps or other lighting features.
