The term OLED stands for “Organic Light Emitting Diode”. It is a form of LED. Light-emitting diodes are semiconductors that are sources of light. These let charge flow through them, which leads to the production of light. OLEDs work in a very similar manner. Audi and BMW were pioneers of using OLEDs for tail lights.
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The OLEDs work in a similar fashion to LEDs. These are p-n junction diodes (positive-negative) that contain electron holes. When a suitable voltage is applied, these electrons combine with those electron holes, giving rise to photons. These photons emit light as we know it.
There are primarily three uses of OLEDs in cars. The first is traditional tail lights. The benefits of these OLEDs are that they do not need external components to function. These are essential for giving signs like stopping or turning in any direction. Imagine all the accidents that could happen because of these.
The second usage is infotainment systems. One of the most modern features in new cars has been the inclusion of a touch screen system for dashboards. This lets you access functions like Bluetooth and voice calls which are essential for us.
The final usage is related to the digital instruments in cars. The speedometer that we use is also a major application of the system of OLEDs. We use the speedometer on a daily basis for our travels in our cars.
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Due to the ease of use and the absence of unnecessary components, these OLED production lines do not require much labor. The excess components can prove to be a burden for the design. Their absence allows car manufacturers to experiment with more visually receptive lights and provide better features. OLEDs also contain a feature to turn themselves off when there is no use, saving energy.
The individual components of OLED systems can be accessed very easily and controlled. This allows for variations in the lighting system and the color, which can be beneficial for designers and engineers.
There have been recent talks about fully automating the car dashboards that companies are looking into. OLED allows for this to happen very easily. If every digital feature is optimized with the help of OLEDs, then that is a boon for us.
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The possibilities are endless, and companies have been making rapid progress. Full displays in cars with screens that use OLEDs are being tested upon. The plans are to incorporate more features in infotainment systems and digital instrumentations. Designs to incorporate special shapes for dangers are also not a distant dream. OLEDs have revolutionized the way we perceive our information through cars. They have extended our reach and allowed us to be more optimized in the uses of our cars.
