Challenges in the design & development of efficient (High Power) lighting systems

Abstract

21st century witnessed tremendous progress in the application of Photonics, one of the prominent being lighting industry. The automotive lighting, among various categories of lighting, received immense growth. The lamps which have once been mere candles or lanterns now comprise of several components strategically packed into various sizes, shapes tailored to add unique aesthetics to the vehicle. The current day lamps are not only complex in the structural aspect but also in the end functionality making (night) driving experience dynamic, smart, and safe. For several years such intelligent systems were mere R&D, marketing ideas but the recent changes in legal regulations made Adaptive Front Lighting (AFS) systems, Adaptive Driving Beams (ADB) , Grill Lighting etc. (including the recent approval for ADB Headlamps in the US) conventional on the latest vehicles around the world. These rapid transitions, together with the continuous advancements in electronics sector, manufacturing technologies, and automotive qualified materials make the new generation lighting system designs more challenging, competent. Advanced lighting technologies are extremely complex and sensitive. For e.g., the adaptive beams AFS, ADB demands dynamically controlled light distributions from a single optical system , along with a quick response time. In this article, we attempt to provide an overview of some of the current day challenges the lighting designers are encountered with. We present the challenges associated with the development of ‘Efficient High Power Lighting System’. The state-of-the-art market demands of such systems, some of the key limitations of the current design solutions are outlined in this article.