Laser technology from OSRAM – now yet in another premium car!

29.02.2016

Following on from the heels of the BMW i8, OSRAM laser technology has now also has been built into the front headlights of the new BMW 7 Series. The laser module with three high-power diodes is based on a development by the OSRAM Opto Semiconductor research laboratories in Regensburg. The laser boost is added to the full beam and creates the longest range currently available on the roads: of up to 600 metresmeters.

OSRAM´s laser module built into first global series production car with laser headlights

According to Hans-Joachim Schwabe, CEO Specialty Lighting at OSRAM says, "Alongside our position as a leader in LED and laser technology, the use of laser light as the next step in automotive lighting once more demonstrates our expertise in lighting systems.".

OSRAM has already played a key role as a system partner in the development of the laser light for the BMW i8 front headlights. This was launched onto the market in 2014, as the first global series production car with laser headlights. The same OSRAM laser module is fitted into the new BMW 7 series.

Laser light – the next step in automotive lighting

The great advantage of laser diodes is their small size: they can generate a lot of light in a very small space. A laser diode generates an almost punctiform flux on a few microns, thus the lens used may turn out to be very small. The extremely high light intensity also enables its long range. This is how why future headlights in the future will be designed even smaller than at present, without sacrificing light output. This combination of design and functionality means that laser light has huge potential for automotive lighting in the future.