CES 2022: Seoul Semiconductor to Exhibit All Light Sources for Autonomous Driving

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At CES 2022, Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd., a global optical semiconductor company, will demonstrate a Micro Display for vehicle (WICOP mc) to communicate with pedestrians or oncoming drivers during autonomous driving, and a solution to sterilize the in-vehicle air. In addition, the company will demonstrate WICOP ADB (Adaptive Driving Beam: Intelligent Headlamp), which improves the visibility of oncoming vehicles or pedestrians while driving. WICOP, the basic technology of these two solutions (WICOP mc and WICOP ADB), has already been applied to about 10% of vehicles worldwide.

So far, the focus has been on developing technologies for preventing automobile accidents and ensuring driver safety. However, technology that prioritizes the convenience and safety of not only drivers but also passengers, pedestrians, bicycle riders, or other vehicle drivers is becoming very important. In particular, along with automobile indoor sterilization technology to make the air inside a vehicle safe, the lighting communication technology, which can reassure drivers of other vehicles or pedestrians when the driver of an autonomous vehicle is either absent or distracted, is receiving great attention.

With the development of autonomous driving systems, the technology that allows vehicles to recognize surrounding objects is also in the process of development. By the way, the current brightness of LCD or OLED displays less than 1,000 nits has limitations in implementing lighting communication with pedestrians or other vehicles. In addition, the existing LED display chips are large in size, so they cannot properly implement a necessary message on a small bumper or on the exterior of a vehicle. Seoul Semiconductor's dust-proof and moisture-proof WICOP mc realizes a 5000-nits display that is eight times brighter than the existing LCD and can display clear messages.

Seoul Semiconductor is conducting virus sterilization experiments using an actual car in the in-house laboratory to study the safety of passengers from various bacteria and viruses. At CES 2022, Seoul Semiconductor will demonstrate to its VIP customers a solution that can sterilize more than 90% of the viruses floating inside the car within 10 minutes. Seoul Semiconductor will begin mass production of its sterilization technology, Violeds, in January at one of the top five global companies.

"Seoul Semiconductor is the only company in the world that is able to produce and supply a total solution for all light sources from EPI to PKG, from UV LEDs required for automobiles, to Blue, Green, Red, IR LEDs, and even VCSEL laser diodes," a Seoul Semiconductor official said. “At CES 2022, innovation to all solutions will be separately disclosed to VIP customers who have been specially reserved.”