On December 21, at the NIO Day 2024 event, NIO officially launched its flagship luxury sedan, the ET9. The vehicle showcases cutting-edge advancements in both headlight illumination and in-vehicle displays, representing NIO’s latest achievements in intelligent automotive technology.
Advanced Micro LED Headlight Technology
The NIO ET9 incorporates Micro LED pixelated headlights, integrated with the Aquila 2.0 Super Sensing System, enabling highly precise illumination. Its headlights offer features such as intelligent light-tracking blankets and intersection blind spot alerts, while the lane line highlighting function enhances nighttime lane visibility.
Revolutionary In-Vehicle Display Systems
Equipped with an all-range AR heads-up display system, the ET9 also features a 15.6-inch AMOLED central control screen for front-seat passengers, a 14.5-inch OLED HD screen for rear passengers, and an 8-inch multifunctional control screen. Additionally, a 1.4-meter-long panoramic skyline display is integrated into the dashboard.
Increasing Adoption of Micro LED Headlights in Vehicles
Headlights are often referred to as the “eyes” of a car and play a vital role in nighttime driving safety. Over the years, headlight technologies have evolved from halogen and xenon lamps to the widespread adoption of LED technology, which offers high brightness, low energy consumption, and long lifespan, making it the standard choice for modern vehicles.
As automotive intelligence advances, headlights are progressing toward pixelated designs, primarily through DLP (Digital Light Processing) and Micro LED technologies. Despite being in its early stages, Micro LED pixelated headlights surpass DLP in brightness, reliability, size, and weight. With scalability, Micro LED also holds significant potential for cost optimization, paving the way for smarter, customizable lighting experiences in future vehicles.
Beyond the NIO ET9, models like the Volkswagen Tiguan L Pro, Touareg Highline Edition, and the Porsche Cayenne have adopted Micro LED headlights. Concept cars, such as the Buick Wildcat, also incorporate ultra-thin Micro LED designs.
For instance, the Volkswagen Tiguan L Pro, launched in May, features Micro LED projection headlights with 25,600 pixels per unit. These lights support narrow-path illumination, welcome animations, and lighting assistance. Similarly, the Touareg Highline Edition utilizes h-Digi® Micro LED modules, boasting advanced high-pixel lighting systems.
Accelerating Developments in Micro LED Automotive Lighting
Product Innovations
In June, BOE HC Semitek unveiled a Micro LED ADB matrix pixel headlight module at the Shanghai Auto Lamp Exhibition. Nationstar Optoelectronics also presented its bonding-based Micro LED pixelated headlights, featuring over 40,000 LED emitters with a pixel pitch of just 40 microns, capable of delivering high-resolution image projection.
Ams OSRAM showcased its EVIYOS 2.0 high-pixel projection headlight, integrating 25,600 individually controllable Micro LEDs. In its Q1 2024 report, ams OSRAM projected adoption by seven automakers in 2024, expanding to over 12 automakers by 2025.
Earlier this year, Marelli launched a new Micro LED headlight module, integrating 25,600 pixels in a compact form factor weighing just 600g. The module, already adopted by leading EV brands, offers an aspect ratio of 1:4 and utilizes h-Digi® modules developed in collaboration with ams OSRAM.
Technological Breakthroughs
In January, HC Semitek announced advancements in matrix Micro LED headlight chips, improving brightness via core technology optimization and patent innovation. The company introduced chemical peeling techniques for damage-free GaN pixel transfer and pyramid-shaped microstructures for enhanced light uniformity.
To meet the demands for high-pixel matrix headlights and automotive HUDs, San’an Optoelectronics developed a blue-light Micro LED epitaxial structure achieving over 20% external quantum efficiency at 1000A/cm².
Strategic Collaborations
In May, Jinghe Optoelectronics signed a $140 million Micro LED headlight project agreement in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province. The project aims to establish an advanced production line leveraging Micro LED technology from Shanghai University, including CHIPLET assembly for digital headlight chips.
In April, Jinghe partnered with Shanghai University to advance Micro LED wafer-level bonding technology, focusing on R&D, trial production, and scaling of CHIPLET digital headlight chips.
Conclusion
While international manufacturers lead in the Micro LED headlight market, domestic companies are catching up, leveraging China’s robust LED supply chain and technical expertise. Collaborative efforts between automakers and LED providers are expected to accelerate the adoption of this transformative technology.
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