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Toyota plan to sell half their vehicles in emerging markets and launch 10 more hybrid models as part of efforts to boost their operating profit to at least €8.63bn by 2015.
The arrival of LED headlamps is totally changing the volumes of development resources needed within our lighting industry.
If we look back into the history of lighting technologies, before 1985 there was no differentiation between high and low segment for a particular car model. It was only one parabola with one H4 compartment. Occasionally an H1 pocket was added.
During the period 1985-1995 , the first differentiation started with projector and SC/FF low beams, with or without clear lens. At first, only a few models used this possibility of differentiation; H4 and similar basic technology still prevailed. During the next decade 1995-2005 , a new differentiation arrived with Xenon light, which required a great increase of development resources. Parabolic reflectors were phased out. The differentiation of low range and high range boiled down to halogen vs. xenon light sources. During the period 2005-2010 , another new differentiation arrived with AFS.
The 2 technologies, halogen and xenon were kept, and a third option with AFS was added for the same model of car. With the recent 2008-2011 arrival of LED in the market, co-existing with Halogen/Xenon and sometimes with intelligent AFS/Adaptive Lighting Systems, the possible options are again increased in number for the same car model. And we are seeing the technological eras grow markedly shorter: from multiple decades to a single decade to five years to three years or less.
For the next half decade 2012-2016 , all car makers become interested in LED technologies because they allow high styling differentiation (appearance and colour of the light) and energy reduction. It is difficult to evaluate an average development time for one headlamp project due to differences in styling, perceived value or lighting performances. Nevertheless, development data below seems a fair simplified approach, not including intelligent lighting:
Halogen H4 or double pocket = 10,000 hours
Xenon = 20,000 hours
The Istanbul-based Bayraktarlar Holding, shareholder of lighting supplier Farba, former licensee of Cibié, announced last week that they have bought Odelo, the Germany-based automotive
The 81 st Geneva Motor Show is sending something like a mixed message to the consumer. On one hand, the clear answer of the auto industry to rising fuel costs is good looking and sexy compact
Honda and Subaru topped the American Consumer Reports annual rankings of automakers for 2011, while better reliability and enhanced resale values helped Ford improve the most since last year.
Giugiaro’s Italdesign company unveiled the Tex plug-in hybrid coupe (vision of next VW Scirocco) and the Go full-electric medium minivan (vision of next Touran) at the Geneva auto show.
Valeo expect their operating margin to rise in 2011, building on last year’s return to net profitability. Demand for cars is growing strongly in emerging regions like China, Latin America
South Korean companies had one of the most interesting models on display, and also a booth focused on safety vision systems including lighting. Hyundai weighed in
Carmanah Technologies have launched their EG300-series solar LED streetlight.
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