The phenomenal Opel Antara GTC concept car shows what happens when powerful light from tiny light sources encourages designers to let their imaginations run wild. It also shows the sort of thing that will be possible for general lighting when white LEDs become sufficiently developed for such use:
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| Opel show car with LEDs. |
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Opel presented this impressive show car at IAA 2005 in Frankfurt which relies for its lighting entirely on
LEDs from
Osram Opto Semiconductors, part of Osram, a Voltimum Founder Member company. The sporty styling of this Opel off-roader in coupe form promises pure adventure. This effect is enhanced by the futuristic lighting concept.
The headlights and interior lights are all based on Osram Opto Semiconductors light emitting diodes (LEDs), which double as light sources and design elements. The headlights and rear lights with their unusual shape and hexagonal 'pupils' look like the eyes of a tiger, giving the car added interest. The light sources are high-power Golden Dragon LEDs. Seven white diodes at the centre of the 'pupil' are sufficient to produce dipped headlights at the front and reversing light at the back. For the first time, LEDs have been used for the high beam, for which twelve additional light emitting diodes are grouped around the centre in each headlight.
Parking light is provided by two further LEDs of the same type. The light from these LEDs is injected into a strip-shaped optical waveguide. Four small lights, equipped with yellow LEDs, are used for the indicators at the front, rounding off the remarkable design of the headlights.
The rear light cluster also has an unusual design. Twelve yellow Golden Dragons, also of hexagonal design, are arranged around the white centre and function as indicators. A total of twelve red LEDs are used for the brake lights. Nine of these are arranged as small lights underneath the headlight pupils, three emit their light sideways and cause the entire rear light cluster to shimmer. When used as rear lights the LEDs are slightly dimmed. On braking they operate at full brightness to give an effective warning signal.
In the passenger cell, SideLEDs, MiniTopLEDs and TopLEDs in special customised colours provide accent lighting. They are used not only for backlighting the extravagant dashboard but also for the various buttons and switches. The discrete lighting for the doors is particularly inviting, and this white light is continued in the side panelling and roof.
All the LEDs benefit from long life, low energy consumption and rapid response times, which is particularly important for braking.
There may be Voltimum users who can't see the relationship of these LED products to their work, but deveopment progress has been so rapid with these new light sources that they will be available for white general lighting in the not too distant future.
The picture illustrates the Opel show car fully equipped with LEDs from Osram Opto Semiconductors.
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