Standardized LED signal lamps from Osram and Koito are being used for the first time on the new Toyota Corolla Sport

The new XLS product family is revolutionizing the signal lamp market by combining a standardized light source with LED technology

With their innovative XLS (eXchangeable LED Signal lamp) products, Osram and Koito are launching a series of standardized LED-based signal lamps (UN/ECE Standard R128). For the first time, a uniform platform with three different light versions can cover all the important signal applications in vehicles. This allows for simple replacements, reduces complexity and overall costs for car manufacturers and leads to faster development processes thanks to adapted standards. OSRAM’s LY5 and LW5 XLS lamps have been installed on the new Toyota Corolla models since the summer of 2018. 

LED technology gives vehicle and automotive lighting designers and manufacturers enormous flexibility. Over the past few years, numerous customized LED lighting solutions have been created that have made today’s supply chain extremely complex. To reduce this complexity, Osram has developed an innovative, standardized LED light source for signal light applications in the automotive industry. “With its XLS product family, Osram is launching a portfolio that offers all the innovative benefits of LED technology while significantly reducing complexity along the customer value chain,” says Hans Joachim Schwabe, CEO Specialty Lighting at Osram.

A single platform for all LED signal light sources

The ECE-standardized light sources from OSRAM are currently available in yellow and white for different signal applications like turn signals, reversing lights and DRL. An additional white variant for fog lighting is also available with the respective standard becoming effective at the end of this year. A fourth variant in red is coming soon.Standardization makes them easy to exchange: only the light source is replaced, which means that the usual expense of replacing entire lamps or headlights is eliminated.

The rugged design ensures a long and reliable operating life. Because LEDs take up less space, it was possible to advance the miniaturization of electronics, optics, and mechanical components. The XLS products have a small, light-emitting area and protection from electrostatic discharge, transients, and overvoltages.

Innovative, exchangeable lamps set new standards

The XLS product family offers a wide range of benefits for consumers, headlight manufacturers and car manufacturers. A uniform, standardized platform for signal lamps reduces the number of different lighting solutions in cars. This considerably reduces overall costs for car manufacturers in a number of areas, including the supply chain, development, and quality control. The reuse of design modules and the same platforms also substantially reduces the time and effort needed for development. For car workshops and car owners, a standardized platform means that the light sources can be replaced and repair effort can be reduced, which in turn lowers costs.

Series production of the lamps in Herbrechtingen, Germany, guarantees premium quality and is an important milestone in the site’s change of focus to semiconductor-based lighting solutions. Customers of XLS products benefit from the plant’s many years of automotive experience, which enables seamless production. Short design cycles and reduced system complexity make the XLS product family a pioneer in the penetration of LED technology in high-volume vehicle segments.

As of summer 2018, the new XLS product family will hit the streets of Japan in the new Toyota Corolla Sport. Other models are planned for the end of 2018. Osram is also currently working on expanding its XLS product portfolio.