News: LEDs
5 September 2025
Nichia launches µPLS Mini and DominoPLS at ISAL 2025
At the International Symposium on Automotive Lighting (ISAL 2025) in Darmstadt, Germany (22–24 September), Nichia Corp of Tokushima, Japan — the world’s largest gallium nitride (GaN)-based light-emitting diode/laser diode (LED/LD) manufacturer and inventor of high-brightness blue and white LEDs — is presenting its portfolio of Pixelated Light Source (PLS) solutions for adaptive driving beam (ADB) headlamps.
The Pixelated Light Source family has grown to include the µPLS alongside two new additions — the µPLS Mini and DominoPLS — enabling car makers and system integrators to scale glare‑free headlighting from entry‑level ADB applications to high‑definition projection.
The PLS lineup spans three tiers, enabling the right balance of performance and cost for every vehicle class. DominoPLS, for example, is a simplified modular platform designed to support popular small cars transitioning from halogen or conventional LED systems. Its plug-in ‘Domino’ LEDs enables more advanced dynamic beam control and reduced optical stack height, allowing designers to upgrade to ADB without needing to retool entire lamp housings. Indeed, the tile-like structure of DominoPLS emitters supports thin, customizable headlamp designs such as integration directly into bumpers.
The µPLS Mini (MicroPLS Mini) combines a proprietary 3000+ pixel-range micro-LED matrix with Infineon’s LITIX driver ASIC, based on the same technology as the first µPLS (MicroPLS). The product enables individually addressable pixel dimming, higher brightness and symbol projection compared with low- and mid-LED-count ADB solutions. Additional electronic interfaces are included for simplification of the integration in existing electronic architectures. Therefore, MicroPLS Mini brings digital ADB capabilities to a broader car market while maintaining a cost-effective bill of materials.
Nichia’s compact MicroPLS is already used in vehicles such as the Porsche Cayenne. First introduced in 2023, the high-definition (HD) light engine is suitable for headlamps developed in premium and upper-mid-range vehicles. The device is capable of sophisticated image projection using over 16,000 individually addressable pixels. This level of precision enables the headlamp to create sharp, glare-free cut-outs around oncoming traffic while maintaining full illumination elsewhere on the road, as well as enabling dynamic light projections, including on-road symbols and personalized ‘welcome home’ lighting scenarios — blending safety and innovation.
“By extending our PLS technology to both lower-end and higher applications, we are empowering every automaker to deliver the safety of glare-free lighting and the communication possibilities of road projection, whether they are building a flagship EV or a cost-sensitive city hatchback,” says Yusuke ‘Karl’ Yamazaki, VP of automotive at Nichia Europe GmbH. “With the introduction of DominoPLS and MicroPLS Mini, we now offer OEMs a road-tested path to fit the appropriate ADB headlamp to match their performance and budget needs, all supported by a proven technology stack.”
Headlamp performance is determined by more than pixel count alone, notes Nichia. Factors such as optical efficiency, driver-IC bandwidth, thermal management, and manufacturing yield are vital to achieve glare-free performance at an affordable cost. For example, the DominoPLS family achieves what is claimed to be class-leading efficiency by pairing larger die with on-board phosphor to minimize light losses. The MicroPLS Mini leverages a digital driver to power only the LEDs in use, cutting idle power consumption in half during city driving. This integrated control system allows microsecond-level switching, uniform brightness, and native connectivity to automotive communication protocols such as CAN-FD and SPI.
Nichia’s expanded portfolio directly addresses key market trends such as the growing adoption of glare-free lighting. The technology’s low profile and energy efficiency also benefit electric and autonomous vehicles by freeing up fascia real-estate for sensors plus saving weight and power to extend driving range and contribute to meeting sustainability goals. Furthermore, it supports the industry’s shift toward software-defined lighting, enabling over-the-air updates for new projection functionality, says Nichia.
At ISAL 2025, Nichia is featuring Pixelated Light Sources – including the DominoPLS, µPLS (MicroPLS) and its new mini version, the µPLS Mini (MicroPLS Mini) – in booth 2 in the Darmstadtium Congress Center.
Nichia Automotive LED lighting
