Hella introduces new lighting system

With ‘Digital Light SSL | HD’, the new high-resolution lighting system, Hella, the lighting and electronics expert is making a further significant contribution to greater safety and comfort in road traffic. With this lighting technology, more than 30,000 pixels can be controlled intelligently and individually, thus bringing about numerous new safety functions, like optical lane markings. Furthermore, original equipment manufacturers and end customers can use SSL | HD technology to implement and experience further options allowing enhanced individualisation, such as coming and leaving home animations, as well as communication functions.

“Automotive lighting technology continues to gain in importance. We are setting a new milestone in this direction and bringing the next generation of headlamps onto the market with our digital SSL | HD light,” explains Dr. Frank Huber, member of the Hella management board and responsible for the global lighting business. “For us, the focus of this latest innovation is always the direct customer benefit. With these new lighting functionalities, we want to create an optimal view of the road, increase the safety factor in road traffic and further enhance comfort for drivers and passengers alike.”

Lighting system implements new safety-enhancing functions

The SSL | HD lighting technology not only further improves established lighting functions such as adaptive, glare-free high beam, it also enables additional light-based safety functions, for instance in the form of optical lane assistant. This can indicate the optimum lane to take when driving past road works and thus provide the driver with additional support in order to achieve safe and stable vehicle guidance, for example. Another possible safety-enhancing functionality is the projection of protection areas for cyclists or pedestrians.

The ‘Digital Light SSL | HD’ also makes it possible to open up perspectives for new business models. Against this backdrop, HELLA offers original equipment manufacturers the option of freely programming lighting functions or developing new business models on a pay-per-use basis. Certain lighting functionalities are always stored in the vehicle, but are only activated on request, in line with individual user requirements, and can, for example, be controlled and paid for via a mobile device.

‘Digital Light SSL | HD’ to go into series production in 2022

‘Digital Light SSL | HD’ is a further development and miniaturisation of existing matrix LED systems. Together with an enlarged light-emitting surface, the significantly higher number of pixels in particular, is the basis for a multitude of new functionalities. The 30,000 plus light points are generated by light sources just the size of a fingernail. The SSL | HD technology therefore requires less installation space, but nevertheless provides greater efficiency, while also giving vehicle manufacturers more freedom in their individual design. A first customer order from a European premium manufacturer for large-scale production has already been secured and series production will commence in 2022.