Audi is known to be one of the pioneers in LED and laser technology. The company has announced plans to introduce new digital OLED technology at next month International Automotive Lighting Symposium.
Audi originally debuted matrix OLED taillights on the TT RS in 2016. Digital OLED technology enables customizable lighting designs by dividing the OLED light source into a greater number of independently controlled segments. By comparison, Audi current OLED lights contain only as many as four distinct segments.
The new lights can contain more than 50 segments, which can be activated and adjusted in brightness as needed. As a result, Audi says designers can produce a wide variety of lighting designs using the same hardware.
Audi didnt say much about its OLED taillight plans, but they noted that digital OLED technology allows them to display information to other cars through the taillights. For example, they can use symbols to warn other drivers of impending hazards, such as black ice or traffic jams.
Information can be sent to the vehicle using Car-to-X technology and then communicated to other road users via the taillights. Audi showed several possible warning symbols, including angled and horizontal lines and a triangular warning sign.
In addition to the ability to communicate with other road users, Audi says the digital OLED lights are highly efficient, with lighting elements as thin as 1mm.
Overall, Audi says digital OLED technology is the perfect technology for executing highly precise and versatile customizable lighting designs.
Audi will reveal more about the lights on September 23, and it will likely be used in the Q4 e-tron, after Audi design chief Marc Lichte said the model will use customizable head and tail lights.