LED Forward Lighting Market to Almost Double by 2020

HILLSBORO, N.H., July 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A market report by McKinsey & Company predicts a sharp increase in LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting adoption in the automotive category by the end of the decade. 

In 2011, LEDs claimed a 12 percent share, contributing to the overall category's revenue of $18.1 billion. Researchers expect to see a spike of 22 percentage points by 2020, increasing the LED share to 34 percent of the overall automotive lighting market. This forecast is based on the anticipated growth in the adoption of LED headlights and daytime running light systems by automakers during the next eight years, said David Hulick, OSRAM marketing director, Specialty Solid State Lighting.

Hulick points to three major trends driving the LED adoption rate upward:

1. Styling and aesthetics – New LED systems empower designers with a more flexible palette, enabling new shapes, colors and mounting configurations that were not possible until recently.

2. Functionality and safety – LEDs offer solutions for better vision and reduced glare, and operate at a color temperature that is close to natural sunlight.

3. Energy savings – LEDs use significantly less energy than standard halogens. OSRAM's JOULE technology, for instance, utilizes 14 watts of electricity compared with 65 watts for a conventional bulb.

"An efficient LED headlamp system can extend an electric vehicle's range on a charge by nearly six miles (9.5 km). So, whether the goal is reduced fuel consumption or enhanced styling – be it for a hybrid or standard engine – LED lighting is simply the best technology available," said Hulick.

OSRAM's unique technology – called JOULE JFL2 – integrates the light source and the socket into one easy-to-use package, making it compatible among different vehicle makes and models. The technology debuted in the U.S. this year on three vehicle models using LED in a completely new way including the Cadillac XTS and the Cadillac ATS.

OSRAM's goal was to provide automakers with an attractive solution to implement LED technology in various applications without paying the premium price tag that typically comes with it.

LEDs offer a multitude of other features that benefit both automakers and consumers: 

• Robustness – They have an extended life and are resistant to shock and vibration.
• Packaging – Their small size enables lower profiles, plus new applications and designs like light guides and 3D configurations.
• Optics – Directional emitters improve optical system efficiency.
• Electronics – The infinite management of light is possible with the high-tech electronics within LEDs.  

"Until recently, LEDs were most common in center high mounted stop lamps and taillights, with headlights having been a novelty feature in very high-end vehicles," said Hulick. "Now the industry is seeing growth in daytime running lights and headlight applications."

And while in the very near term the industry will experience an increase in daytime running lights and headlamp usage, unique LED light guides and multiple light source lamps, McKinsey predicts that the technology will continue to change and advance – and in the future will include technology such as smart headlamps that sense the driving environment and adjust illumination accordingly. 

For more information on OSRAM's LED technology, please visit www.osram.com.  

About OSRAM SYLVANIA

OSRAM SYLVANIA is a leader in lighting solutions and services, specializing in innovative design and energy saving technology. The company sells products for homes, businesses and vehicles primarily under the SYLVANIA brand name, and also under the OSRAM brand. Headquartered in Danvers, Mass., OSRAM SYLVANIA is the North American operation of OSRAM AG, a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens AG. For more information, visit www.sylvania.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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SOURCE OSRAM SYLVANIA