LED package giant EVERLIGHT reported a solid 2Q17 revenue and profit better than that in 1Q17, yet worse than that in the prior year period. The product mix adjustment and price wars are said to account for the annual decline in EVERLIGHT’s finance. Besides, its new capacity is yet to contribute.

Osram is planning on establishing a joint venture with Continental, a German automotive manufacturing company, to develop products for automotive lighting, reported Reuters.

Melexis, a global microelectronics engineering company, announced a new LIN-to-LIN gateway that overcomes the limitation of just 16 devices on a typical LIN bus. Each MLX81120 connects as a LIN slave on the main LIN bus and is controlled directly from the vehicle's Body Control Module (BCM). The new device allows for up to 16 LIN RGB slave modules on a private LIN bus, thereby permitting up to 196 LED lighting devices to be connected to a single BCM via a LIN bus.

Aurora lighting, the international LED lighting and technology organisation, has partnered with leading automobile manufacturer, BMW, to carry out its first smart lighting pilot scheme following the recent announcement of its new enterprise connected lighting platform, AXiO.

Taiwanese LED packaging company Everlight announced a fairly stable revenue of 2Q17. The company is said to have performed better than in 1Q17 and its sales of 2H17 is anticipated to outnumber that in 1H17. As the traditional peak season of this year is right around the corner, the overall demand, mainly for applications such as IR LED, interior and exterior automotive lighting and fine pitch displays, will soar. Yet, Everlight’s supply of conventional lighting and LED backlighting products will slump.

Based on its recent analysis of the automotive ambient lighting LED controller IC industry, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Inova Semiconductors with the 2017 European Frost & Sullivan Award for Customer Value Leadership. Inova's Automotive Pixel Link (APIX) platform has proven extremely popular among original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier I suppliers for meeting their demand for high-resolution in-car video applications. Collaborating with Dominant Opto Technologies, NXP, TE Connectivity, and Pforzheim University, Inova developed an all-new in-car light emitting diode (LED) lighting system that drives down costs, simplifies control, and expands the functionality of LED lighting and display solutions.

At this moment in the history of the LED industry, we have already witnessed it passed into the maturity stage, struggled to revive by finding new beachhead markets (and it succeeded), and advanced its production, ready to embrace future business possibilities. LED chip manufacturers and packagers worldwide have now been gradually shifting their focus to develop products for niche markets, including UV LED, IR LED, automotive, horticultural, and even smart lighting.

More than 25 years ago, the Topled set a worldwide standard as the first surfacemountable LED. Osram Opto Semiconductors now presents the latest generation, the Topled E1608, which has a package that is smaller than its predecessor models by factor 20. Despite this considerable miniaturization the low-power LED is bright, reliable and robust. The compact Topled offers greater options and greater design flexibility, particularly for car interior applications. 

To improve forward visibility for drivers and provide customized styling options for automakers, Magna introduces D-Optic™ LED headlamps. D-Optic lighting represents the next generation of LED headlamps and an auto-industry first by combining multiple high-power LEDs with precise, injection-molded lenses to achieve high performance with efficient energy use.

LiteOn has cultivated Infrared (IR) LED and automotive markets for many years. As its LED technologies advance, market demand penetration rate improves, and application categories expand, LiteOn proactively collaborates with customers to enhance LiteOn's product lines when growing together with the customers. 

According to Reuters, German lighting giant Osram is considering new acquisitions worth up to 500 million euros (US$ 530 million), its CFO told German-based newspaper Boersen-Zeitung on Saturday (April 15). However, no specific plans have been made so far.

The 3rd Shanghai International Auto Lamp Exposition and the 12th Auto Lamp Industry Development Technical Forum, organized by the Committee of GTB and CATARC, opened its curtain under the spotlight. The exposition gathered the whole automotive lighting supply chain, from providers of key components- driver ICs, optoelectronic components, and waterproof auto lamp films- and car light manufacturers, to Chinese major automakers.

Founded in 1920, the Japanese luminaire provider Stanley Electric Co., Ltd. offers automotive lamp modules, LED packages, and other LED products. Aware of potential of special lighting and street lighting, with its automotive lighting products of quality specifications and high reliability, Stanley attempts to enter these two markets through lighting government bids. LEDinside was honored to have an interview with Masahiro Sagae, Executive General Manager of Lighting Application Division, on opportunities and challenges in the Special lighting market.

Automotive LED has been one of the LED applications whose market scales are huge and still rapidly growing. According to LEDinside, The trend that global auto lighting has shifted from traditional light bulbs to LED light sources has accelerated in 2016. More matured markets have steadily migrated into high portion of LED light sources. Emerging countries have stably followed the trend. LEDinside's research data showed that 2016 exterior LED lighting market value reached US $1.57 billion. This sector's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is projected to hit 6% from 2016 to 2020.

Last Friday, LED epiwafer manufacturer Genesis Photonics Inc. (GPI) outlined its future roadmap at a press conference, stating it was redirecting its focus to CSP LEDs for automotive lighting, reported Money DJ.com.

At the leading international trade fair for the automobile industry in Frankfurt Osram is showcasing new products and innovative developments in the aftermarket sector

Leading Japanese LED manufacturer Nichia spoke to Taiwanese reporters about technologies it will be focusing on this year, and about its outlook for 2016, during a press conference held at Palais de Chine Hotel in Taipei, Taiwan on Thursday.

MacAdam Corporation Deliver good quality of light to change the world. Quality . Affordable . Personality                 MacAdam Corporation •      Established in 2015. •      Formed by a group of experienced professionals from Semiconductor, LED packing, and lighting fixture industries. •      Focusing on LED special lighting area, such as automotive and industrial lighting. •      Providing design capability from light source to the light module with thermal, optics and driver system. 

Following on from the BMW i8, the BMW 7 Series is another range of models from the Munich car manufacturer that Osram is now equipping with a laser module for the headlights. “We have succeeded in developing this new technology to such an extent that we have now taken it from a niche vehicle to a mass produced car – an important step in terms of market penetration”, said Hans-Joachim Schwabe, CEO Specialty Lighting at Osram. “With laser light as the next stage in automotive lighting we are once again demonstrating our competence in lighting systems and underlining our leading position in LED and laser technologies.”

The United States Patent Trademark Office (USPTO) recently released a paper on its final written decision “Adapted For” Language in Preamble IPR2014-00703, according to a report by The National Law Review.

Japanese lighting manufacturer Stanley Electric showcased its latest OLED taillights at the 44th Tokyo Motor Show 2015, which took place from Oct 29 to Nov 8, 2015, reported Nikkei Technology.

Braking and being seen by the traffic behind is of essential importance for motorcycle riders. That is why BMW Motorrad has developed the dynamic brake light as a component of the Strategy “Safety 360°”. It can warn drivers of following vehicles even better about when the motorcycle in front of them is braking.

A lot has happened in the field of automotive lighting in recent years. Modern technologies such as LED, OLED and laser are very much on the advance. Richard Lothholz, Global Head of Sales Automotive Lamps and LED at OSRAM, answers questions about the development of automotive lighting technology.

U.S.-based LED company, Diode Dynamics, has taken a major step forward in automotive lighting technology, by designing and manufacturing the first products using brand-new LED components, featuring an independent white chip in addition to multicolor functionality.

Osram was not only acting as an industry partner at the fifth tour of the largest electric vehicle rally in the world, the WAVE (World Advanced Vehicle Expedition), but also mingling amongst the competitors with a car fitted with OSRAM products. WAVE 2015 took place from 12 to 21 June, with a route over several locations from Plauen in Germany to St. Gallen in Switzerland.

Valeo announced that it has purchased a 10.5% stake in Aledia, by subscribing to a portion of Aledia’s capital increase. Aledia is a technology start-up dedicated to the development of cutting-edge LED technology for general and automotive lighting.

DEUTZ-FAHR in collaboration with HELLA has developed an industry-first LED light package for its award-winning line of 7 Series tractors.

German lighting manufacturer Osram has been a forerunner in automotive lighting, developing a lot of advanced automotive lighting applications including laser headlights for luxury car brands Audi and BMW, and OLED taillights for the BMW i8.

Even though the Thailand government is not too keen on issuing more incentives to support the local LED industry, there is still plenty positive market developments that manufacturers can be optimistic about.

As market competition intensifies, LED manufacturers are adjusting their strategies to expand into new niche markets and create new opportunities with their technological advantages. As a specialist manufacturer of high-power LED components, Edison Opto has accumulated more than a decade of R&D experience in LED technology, especially concerning spatial distribution. With this expertise, the company has recently made the strategic decision to enter the automotive LED lighting market.