The Vorsprung durch Technik (Advancement through Technology) brand and its Matrix OLED lights are being touted by the company as the perfect synthesis of high-tech engineering and design.
The company is currently trying to implement OLED technology in production rear lights and will be shown for the first time in a concept car at the IAA.
In each Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) unit, two electrodes – of which at least one must be transparent – incorporate numerous thin layers of organic semiconductor materials.
A low direct current (DC) voltage – between three and four volts – activates the layers, each of which is less than one-thousandth of a millimetre thick, to light them and the colour is based on the molecular composition of the light source.
In contrast to point light sources – such as LEDs made of semiconductor crystals, OLEDs are flat light sources.
Their light attains a new level of homogeneity, and its dimming is continuously variable.
The lights do not cast any shadows and do not require any reflectors, light guides or similar optical components – and this makes the OLED units efficient and lightweight, while not requiring any cooling.
The thin glass sheets that are used today to encase the organic material will be replaced by plastic films.
These new flexible substrate materials will lend themselves to three-dimensional forming, and this will open up entirely new creative spaces for designers.
The German automaker has already shown the potential of OLED technology in many models and demonstrators.
Special highlights are “OLED lighting” with transparent, multi-colored OLEDs in the silhouette of the car and “the swarm” with a three-dimensional OLED display.
Another benefit of OLEDs is that they can be subdivided into small segments that can be controlled at different brightness levels and colours.
Making transparent OLED units will be possible, allowing all to experience a new lighting scenario with extremely fast switchover times.
The illuminated sub-surfaces exhibit very precise boundaries with one another.
This is what distinguishes OLED technology at Audi, transforming it into the Audi Matrix OLED technology that supplements Audi Matrix LED and Matrix Laser technologies for headlights.
