Hyundai Mobis has successfully developed a next-generation headlamp that displays driving information in real-time on the road surface. This groundbreaking technology is expected to significantly reduce safety accidents for both drivers and pedestrians at night.
The ‘HD Lighting System’ developed by Hyundai Mobis visualizes driving information through text or shapes and projects it onto the road surface. For instance, it informs drivers of ‘construction ahead’ with relevant symbols while helping pedestrians safely cross by projecting crosswalk markings onto the road using lamp light.
While existing safety technologies that provide driving information include navigation systems and HUDs (Head-Up Displays), the HD Lighting System is evaluated as a technology that considers communication with pedestrians as well as drivers during nighttime driving.
The HD Lighting System consists of HD Micro LED as the light source and DMD (Digital Micro Mirror Device), which serves as the reflector. The key lies in the precise control of the DMD and the necessary software logic. It can also integrate information obtained from front sensors (cameras) and navigation, providing real-time information relevant to drivers.
First, the HD Lighting System is equipped with approximately 25,000 micro LEDs that are thinner than a human hair at 0.04mm. This is about 250 times the number of LEDs currently used in mass-produced LED headlamps (80 to 120 units). The increased number of LEDs enables more detailed light control, aiding in the accurate recognition of objects and pedestrian locations.
The DMD is a super-precise control device with 0.01mm-sized micro-mirrors that refract light. Digital mirrors that number up to 1.3 million refract light from densely packed LEDs to create desired shapes or symbols on the road. Compared to existing DMDs, this system can control approximately 10,000 times more LEDs individually, allowing for clear and precise information projection regardless of the road environment.
A distinctive feature of Hyundai Mobis’ HD Lighting System is its ability to reflect information from camera sensors or navigation in real-time. For example, when approaching a construction zone, a ‘construction ahead’ symbol measuring 1.5 meters in size can be displayed 15 meters in front of the driver, alongside speed limit notifications. This technology is specialized for preventing accidents by enhancing night visibility for drivers, allowing them to easily recognize when speed bumps will appear and what the entry/exit routes are on highways.
The system can also actively prevent pedestrian accidents. When a camera sensor detects a pedestrian in a remote alley and the vehicle comes to a stop, an imaginary crosswalk is projected onto the road. This means that instead of relying solely on emergency lights or honking, the vehicle communicates with pedestrians through innovative ‘communication lighting’ technology realized with headlamps.
A Hyundai Mobis representative stated, “In the future autonomous driving era, the importance of software capabilities that can integrate various components necessary for driving into a single device will grow,” adding, “Hyundai Mobis is at the forefront of developing advanced lamps and securing the technology to control them.”
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr