“Collaboration between academia and industry will lead to striking lighting effects”

Prof. Dr. Karlheinz Blankenbach has been one of the leading figures in automotive display and lighting research for decades. As founder of the Display Lab at Pforzheim University, he and his team have shaped how metrology and LED technologies are applied in vehicles – bridging the gap between academic research, industrial development, and standardization.

Through his long-standing involvement in the Society for Information Display (SID) and the Displayforum (DFF), he has helped shape global standards that define how automotive displays and lighting systems are designed and measured today. At the 6th ISELED Conference in Munich, he will take the stage to discuss how intelligent displays and digital lighting are shaping the next generation of user experiences in mobility.

ADT: You have been closely involved with automotive displays, metrology, and lighting for decades. From your perspective, how will displays and intelligent interior lighting shape the user experience in future vehicles?

Blankenbach: As cars evolve to become the third living room, the user experience will play a key role in car branding. This will also be fostered by higher autonomous levels. Displays and interior lighting will play a pivotal role in ensuring an enjoyable ride.

As founder of the Display Lab at Pforzheim University and chairman of the SID’s International Committee on Display Metrology for automotive applications, you work at the intersection of academia, industry, and standardization. How do you see these activities influencing the adoption of ISELED and ILaS in the automotive sector?

The vast majority of drivers and passengers are accustomed to exceptional displays and lighting experiences, whether from smartphones or architectural lighting, for example. Due to the high volume of cars, standardization is essential for an efficient and resilient supply chain. Examples of standardization include the luminance and color of LEDs from night-time to daylight, and data interfaces.

You have been part of the ISELED Alliance since its foundation. Looking back and ahead, what do you consider the most significant achievements so far – and what role can academic research play in driving the next phase of innovation in digital LED and lighting technologies?

For me, the past and present have three key pillars: First, to bring the fundamental idea of ISELED, developed by the 'two Roberts' (Isele and Kraus) to market. Second, to achieve design wins and mass production. Third, to strive for innovation with the upcoming ISELED 2. I see more applications emerging in the future, such as pixelated exterior lighting and advanced interior lighting. Close collaboration between academia and industry will lead to striking lighting effects and high quality. Examples include the uniformity of pixelated light guides and the use of the Helmholtz–Kohlrausch effect to reduce power consumption. Both topics transfer the characteristics of the human visual system to applications.

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automotiveIT editorial team