Audi has unveiled a new rear lighting technology featuring the world’s first curved digital OLED panels. This breakthrough is debuting on the upcoming Audi Q9 SUV, marking a significant step in automotive lighting design.
Thinnest Glass Panels and Flexible Design
The new OLED rear lights use ultra-thin glass surfaces just 0.1 millimeters thick—about the thickness of a human hair. This thin design allows the panels to bend along curves with a radius up to 200 millimeters, letting them follow the SUV’s body shape closely. Such flexibility hasn’t been seen before in car lights.
Advanced Digital Light Signatures
The Q9’s OLED setup includes 512 segments spread across six panels, with a large curved outer panel made of 99 segments. These panels enable up to eight different digital light signatures, shown in a semi-active way that adds 3D effects. This can help the car communicate more clearly through its rear lights, whether to other drivers or pedestrians.
What’s Next for the Technology?
Audi hasn’t yet announced if or when this curved digital OLED lighting will be available on other models. The Q9 will be the first to feature it, and it’s still unclear if these lights will come standard or as an option on the luxury SUV, which starts at $118,000 for the SQ9 trim in the U.S. market.
Source: autoevolution.com