NEWS & TECHNOLOGY AUTOMOTIVE
Osram and Rinspeed showcase MetroSnap concept vehicle
OBy Julien Happich sram is the exclusive lighting supplier for MetroSnap,
the latest concept vehicle from Swiss creative think
tank Rinspeed. This is the fourth consecutive year that
Osram has supported the Rinspeed concept
vehicle with automotive lighting and
sensing applications, helping to illuminate
the future of driving. Unveiled during CES
2020, the electric MetroSnap vehicle has
a unique swapping system that allows its
chassis, known as a “skateboard,” to connect
two different body types or “pods.”
MetroSnap features Osram components
for lighting and sensing applications in and
around the vehicle that provide solutions
within the categories of Mobility, Safety
and Security, Connection, and Health and Well-Being. These
technologies will be critical in creating an autonomous world
and shaping the third living space by using dynamic and human
centric lighting, as well as bio-monitoring and biometric applications
enabled by infrared light sources.
“We are thrilled to once again partner
with Rinspeed on another amazing
concept vehicle that reimagines the act of
driving,” said Wolfgang Lex, Vice President
and General Manager of Automotive
at Osram Opto Semiconductors. “Lighting
will increasingly be at the centre of the
driving experience and Osram’s technologies
will help usher in a new automotive
future where cars are more than just a
means of transportation, but also a place
to relax, rejuvenate and work.”
On the exterior of MetroSnap, Osram has provided Eviyos
LEDs, which features thousands of individually addressable
pixels that project valuable information and warning symbols on
the road for passengers and pedestrians. Light Detection and
Ranging (LiDAR) technology helps orient MetroSnap on the road
using infrared laser pulses. Once a light pulse hits an object, it
is registered by a sensor and the vehicle calculates the distance
from the light to the object, then initiates appropriate actions
such as braking. The company has also
offered its intelligent display systems on
the front and back of the vehicle, and
even on windows, which allow for visual
communications with other road users.
LED license plates serve as supporting
human-machine-interfaces and provide
further possibilities for individualized driving
experiences.
Inside MetroSnap, Osram has provided
Rinspeed with 3D facial recognition and
palm recognition systems. These technologies
ensure that only approved individuals can ride in the
vehicle, while also allowing the vehicle to adapt to the personalized
settings of those riders. Intelligent ambient lighting and
human-centric lighting were specifically designed to make the
ride more enjoyable and deliver critical
safety features. With the advent of autonomous
driving, the interior of vehicles
will be more than simply a cabin, they will
be true living spaces in which we will work
and relax.
Osram’s ambient lighting solutions,
such as the Osire family of iRGB LEDs,
will adjust to brightness and temperature
preferences of passengers as well as
include human-centric lighting features to
ensure interior lighting always adapts to
their moods. Special reading lights ensure dynamic and optimum
illumination of the vehicle’s reading area.
For in-cabin monitoring, the MetroSnap uses VCSEL (Vertical
Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) technology to scan the cabin for
forgotten objects and notifies passengers if something is left
behind.
Tower to make Aledia nanowire LEDs
SBy Peter Clarke peciality foundry Tower Semiconductor has formed a
partnership with Aledia to refine a manufacturing process
for Aledia’s nanowire-based LEDs. Aledia SA (Grenoble,
France) was founded in 2011 to capitalize
on a previous six years of research
at the Leti research institute in the
creation of 3D GaN-on-silicon nanowire
LEDs. Aledia’s technology uses millions
of sub-micron diameter light-emitting
GaN pillars standing up from the silicon
surface to obtain an improved area efficiency
of light generation. The technique
produces three times more light
per square millimeter of planar area,
Aledia has stated. Aledia has been developing LEDs that are
manufactured on 200mm-diameter wafers, scalable to 300mm
wafers and targeted at mobile display applications.
Tower Semiconductor Ltd. (Migdal Haemek, Israel), which
trades as TowerJazz, is offering its process development service,
known as TOPS (Transfer Optimization and Development
Process Services), to bring Aledia’s technology
into commercialized volume production. Tower
is able to offer manufacture on both 200mm-
and 300mm-diameter wafers at its multiple
wafer fabs.
Aledia’s 3D LED could find application in
laptops, tablets, mobile phones, augmented/
virtual reality (AR/VR), and smart watches
among other equipment.
“Bringing Aledia’s solutions into volume production
is a major step in establishing its role
as a leading provider of next-generation display panel technology
and we have great confidence in their success,” said Dani
Ashkenazi, general manager of TOPS business at Tower.
16 News January 2020 @eeNewsEurope www.eenewseurope.com
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