adaptive driving beam. The PLS family has grown to include the µPLS and two new additions, the µPLS Mini and DominoPLS. These are to enable car makers and system integrators to scale glare‑free headlighting from entry‑level ADB applications to high‑definition projection.
Nichia’s PLS lineup spans three tiers, offering numerous mixes of performance and cost for every vehicle class. DominoPLS is a simplified modular platform designed to support popular small cars transitioning from halogen or conventional LED systems. Its plug-in ‘Domino’ LEDs enable more advanced dynamic beam control and reduced optical stack height, allowing designers to upgrade to ADB without needing to retool entire lamp housings.
The µPLS Mini combines a proprietary 3,000+ pixel-range microLED matrix with Infineon’s Litix driver ASIC based on the same technology as the first µPLS. This product enables individually-addressable pixel dimming, higher brightness, and symbol projection compared to low- and mid-count LED ADB solutions. Additional electronic interfaces are included for simplification of the integration in existing electronic architectures. MicroPLS Mini affordably brings digital ADB capabilities to a broader car market.
Yusuke Yamazaki, VP of Automotive at Nichia Europe, says, “By extending our PLS technology to both lower-end and higher applications, we are empowering every automaker to deliver the safety of glare-free lighting and the communication possibilities of road projection, whether they are building a flagship EV or a cost-sensitive city hatchback. With the introduction of DominoPLS and MicroPLS Mini, we now offer OEMs a road-tested path to fit the appropriate ADB headlamp to match their performance and budget needs, all supported by a proven technology stack”.
Headlamp performance is determined by more than pixel count alone. Factors such as optical efficiency, driver-IC bandwidth, thermal management, and manufacturing yield are vital to achieve glare-free performance at an affordable cost. For instance, the DominoPLS family achieves class-leading efficiency by pairing larger die with on-board phosphor to minimize light losses. The MicroPLS Mini leverages a digital driver to power only the LEDs in use, cutting idle power consumption in half during city driving.
This integrated control system allows for microsecond-level switching, uniform brightness, and native connectivity to automotive communication protocols such as CAN-FD and SPI.
