Hella Develops First Headlamp
Modules with LEDs
The Audi A8 W12 is the first vehicle in
the world to benefit from an innovative system developed by Hella that uses white
light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in vehicle sidemarkers and daytime running lights (DRLs).
(PRWEB) February 5, 2004--The Audi A8 W12
is the first vehicle in the world to benefit from an innovative system developed by Hella
that uses white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in vehicle sidemarkers and daytime running
lights (DRLs).
The white-light LEDs have the same
intensity as xenon lamps, but offer greater flexibility for vehicle front-end design. The
Audi system includes five LEDs per headlamp arranged in a cloverleaf pattern, giving the
vehicle an unmistakable appearance and making it more visible in DRL or dipped (low-beam)
modes.
“The system includes a static
cornering light, which provides added illumination when turning at intersections or
driving through tight curves to help drivers see the road ahead,” said Joe Borruso,
president and CEO of Hella North America.
He noted that LEDs also draw less
current, using only a fraction of the energy needed to power conventional headlamps.
Hella first presented a prototype of the
LED system at its booth at the 2003 International Auto Show in Frankfurt, Germany, and
expects that by 2010 LEDs will be widely used in dipped (low) beam, main beam and fog
lamps because of their increased design flexibility and safety benefits.
Lighting, electronics, complete vehicle
modules, air conditioning systems, vehicle wiring systems and signal processing for the
automobile industry, as well as automotive aftermarket components, are the core fields of
competency for automotive supplier Hella KG Hueck & Co. Sales for the Hella Group are
approximately $3.8 billion, placing Hella among Germany’s top 100 industrial
companies.
With its corporate headquarters in
Lippstadt, Germany, the company employs more than 22,800 people at 61 manufacturing
facilities, production subsidiaries and joint-venture companies in 18 countries. More than
1,800 engineers and technicians work in research and development. All of the world’s
leading automobile and systems manufacturers are Hella customers as well as the automotive
components aftermarket.
Additional information is available on
the Internet at www.hella.com
Company Contacts
Dan Saar
Hella North America
Phone: 734.414.0960
E-mail: dan.saar@hna.hella.com
Ulrich Koester
Hella KG Hueck & Company
Phone: ++49 29 41 38 7566
E-Mail: ulrich.koester@hella.de
