With the development of LED technology, automotive lighting has entered a whole new era. Traditional headlights usually achieve beam control by combining large reflectors and lenses, but this means the headlight assembly is relatively large, occupying a significant surface area of the vehicle body. With the introduction of automotive projection headlights, this situation has been significantly improved.

Automotive projection headlights core technology is micro-lens array (MLA) technology. MLA technology uses innovative micro-lens components to project tightly focused beams, or even images or patterns, from a component only a few millimeters deep and high onto surfaces such as roads or sidewalks. This MLA-based system is small in size, allowing projection headlights to be almost integrated into any part of the vehicle body, providing more flexibility for car design.

Application of MLA technology in automotive projection headlights

The MLA technology not only occupies an advantage in size but also brings many innovative applications in functionality. For example, when the vehicle detects the key card approaching, the projection light can project a specific pattern from underneath the sill, illuminating the user's path into the car, enhancing convenience and safety while adding a personalized feature to the vehicle and making it more unique in the dark.

Additionally, automotive projection headlights can project turn signals onto the road, providing highly visible indications of the driver's steering intentions to pedestrians and other road users, thereby enhancing road safety. This feature is particularly important at night and in adverse weather conditions.

Most notably, MLA technology has shown great potential in headlight design as well. Compared to traditional headlights and LED matrix headlights, MLA technology not only makes headlight components more compact but also improves the quality, uniformity, and controllability of the beam. For example, dynamic adaptive beams can accurately direct light to where it is needed on the road, providing the driver with the most useful illumination.

Working principle and advantages of micro-lens arrays

Micro-lens array (MLA) works by projecting multiple versions of an image onto the same location. In an MLA composed of 64 small lenses, the image seen is actually 64 overlapping projected images. This not only makes the projected image clearer but also makes the overall projection lighting system more compact due to the small size of the lens array.

Another advantage of MLA technology is that its manufacturing process shares similarities with the semiconductor industry, thus benefiting from the cost and quality advantages of silicon chips. Each small lens has a diameter of approximately 0.8 millimeters and a focal length of about 2 millimeters. This precise manufacturing technology enables MLA to accurately project light onto designated surfaces, whether flat, curved, or freeform.

Through MLA technology, the focal distance between the light source and the lens is greatly shortened, making the projector smaller. Moreover, proper collimation can suppress optical crosstalk within the lens, preventing the generation of ghost images and ensuring the clarity of the projected image.

Future prospects: Evolution of automotive projection headlights

As automotive electronics technology continuously advances and consumer demands diversify, automotive projection headlights feature MLA technology continues to evolve. From initially simple information displays to now supporting advanced functions like augmented reality (AR) navigation and environmental awareness warnings, MLA technology is gradually becoming an indispensable part of intelligent driving systems.

In the future, as autonomous driving technology becomes more prevalent, automotive projection headlights are expected to become an important interface connecting people, vehicles, and roads, providing drivers with a more comprehensive and intelligent driving assistance experience. For example, through MLA technology, projection headlights can project relevant information (such as warning signs) onto the road ahead of the driver, further enhancing driving safety.

In summary, the application of MLA technology in automotive projection headlights not only changes traditional automotive lighting methods but also provides more possibilities for intelligent driving in the future. With continuous technological advancements, automotive projection headlights will play an increasingly important role in intelligence, safety, and personalization, bringing a safer, more convenient, and enjoyable driving experience to drivers.