FORVIA HELLA introduces its first ECU platform for headlamps in China

Shanghai, 27 September 2024. International automotive supplier FORVIA HELLA introduces its first localized Electronic Control Unit (ECU) platform for headlamps in China. The ECU was fully developed by its Chinese team, cutting development times by half and significantly reducing both costs and complexity. This innovative product has already received a platform order from a local car maker in China and is ready for mass production. The SOP is expected to commence soon.

"The successful introduction of our first localized platform Electronic Control Unit for headlamp is a testament to our deepened strategy of ‘In China, For China’ as well as for our strengthened commitment to local services”, says Jessie Hu, Head of Lighting Electronics, Body Electronics, and Autonomous Driving at the Business Group Electronics of FORVIA HELLA in China. “Leveraging this innovative product and the extensive expertise of our local R&D team, we are able to support customers in achieving vertical integration for specific needs of various car models, providing them with outstanding localized services in a more flexible, efficient, and cost-effective manner."

"This marks an important milestone for FORVIA HELLA in the field of Lighting Electronics”, says Mario Saure, Vice President Product Segment Lighting Electronics at the Business Group Electronics of FORVIA HELLA. “The advanced technology and innovative design of the product greatly enhance the agility of our service and market competitiveness, strengthening our position with Chinese OEM."

Conventional lighting ECU products require comprehensive customization in hardware, structure, and software to meet the specific needs of each vehicle model, resulting in longer development cycles and increased complexity. To further enhance fast response to customer needs, FORVIA HELLA introduces its first localized platform ECU for headlamp in China. Compared with conventional lighting ECU, the platform ECU for headlamps is designed based on the overall needs of the customer: it is compatible with various vehicle electronics architectures and can be tailored to meet the specific needs of different car models through software upgrades, enabling intelligent functionality and enhancing energy efficiency. Through continuous optimization of the development process, the product's development time has been significantly reduced by more than 50 percent, which leads to reduced costs and complexity.

In terms of functionality, the product offers precise control of various lighting features such as adaptive glare-free high beam, LED direction indicator, daytime running light and position light, as well as enabling dynamic lighting effects such as coming and leaving home scenarios, music synchronization, and dynamic direction indicator, greatly enhancing the driving experience. Furthermore, its compact design enables less installation space, providing more freedom and flexibility in vehicle design.