In another step to innovate the future of automotive lighting, Osram takes the opportunity ahead of the Frankfurt International Motor Show to unveil its product roadmap for OLEDs used in automotive applications. “We have essentially achieved road suitability for our OLEDs this year and will be offering initial special equipment based on OLEDs next year," said Ulrich Eisele, head of OLED sector at Osram. "We expect to see OLEDs used in series production of new vehicles by 2016 earliest.” The show is being held from September 12 to September 22, 2013.

Osram was able to demonstrate initial research successes with OLEDs last year. Temperature stability, the most significant obstacle to series production, was increased to the critical point of 85 degrees Celsius at a record level of several hundred hours. “After another year of research, few obstacles remain for serial production,” said Eisele. OLEDs are surface light sources and therefore perfect for the use in applications, such as rear light fixtures. Transparent OLEDs also offering new application design possibilities.

Osram presented a demo at the electronica trade fair in 2012 and will unveil a successor that meets road traffic requirements this year, for both tail lights and brake light applications. The international standard is set by the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE). It is also possible to divide the homogenous light area into dynamically controllable segments, thereby creating a distinct lighting scenario, for example by clicking on the door lock remote control. The OLED rear light fixture will also be on display at the tenth “International Symposium on Automotive Lighting” (ISAL) in Darmstadt (Germany) at the end of September.