Hyundai Mobis has announced the development of next-generation headlamps that show road signs on the road ahead in real-time. The technology is expected to become the latest innovation that significantly reduces nighttime car accidents for both drivers and pedestrians.
HD Lighting System developed by Hyundai Mobis visualises road signs in text or shapes and projects on the road surface. For example, the lamp shows there is road construction ahead using relevant symbols to drivers while projecting the crosswalk sign on the road surface with lamp lights to help pedestrians cross the road safely.
HD Lighting System comprises HD micro LEDs that are light sources and a digital micromirror device (DMD), a collection of tiny mirrors that act as a reflector. The key technologies at play are the technology that meticulously controls MDM and the software logic that makes this work. In addition, information obtained from the front sensor (camera) and GPS navigation can also be integrated to provide the driver with the necessary information.
A Hyundai Mobis representative noted that in the era of autonomous driving, software technology capable of integrating numerous auto components into a single device will be more important than ever.
Working
Hyundai Mobis noted that the HD Lighting System has about 25,000 miro LEDs with a width of 0.04 mm. This is 250 times as many LEDs as those installed in LED headlamps (80-120 LEDs) currently being mass-produced. This enables the lamp to control light more sensitively as it has a much higher number of LEDs. It helps the lamp to locate objects and pedestrians much more accurately.
DMD is an ultra-precise controller that reflects light using microscopic mirrors measuring just 0.01 mm. Lights emitted from densely-packed LEDs are reflected using 1.3 million digital mirrors to project desired shapes and symbols on the road's surface. LEDs that are increased 10,000 times compared to the previous DMD can be controlled individually to project clear, precise information on the road regardless of road conditions.
HD Lighting System can also proactively prevent pedestrian accidents. For example, the camera sensor recognises pedestrians while driving along a remote alley and shows a virtual crosswalk on the road when the car stops. This materialises so-called 'communication lighting' technology that not only communicates with pedestrians with emergency lights or a horn, but also with headlamps.
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