Beautiful, visually striking light that also delivers unequaled quality and performance? Look no further than Atala—the automotive organic light emitting diode (OLED) technology of the future that is on the road today.
Atala digital rear OLED lights are part of the impressive evolution of Audi’s flagship Q8 luxury SUV. What does this future-forward OLED technology offer in the recently upgraded Audi Q8?
Eye-catching elegance with perfectly even surface light emission.
High contrast segments for sharply defined shapes and dynamic animations.
Flexible panels follow the car's curves to increase viewing angle and improve safety.
Designing the Light, Not the Lens
With Atala, car manufacturers like Audi are reimagining what’s possible by designing the light within the panel itself, not the lens. No heat sinks, diffusors, or complex optical lenses are needed, allowing Audi designers to break free of restrictions and bring their unique lighting vision for the Q8 and other Audi models to fruition.
Leading the Way with Atala OLED Lighting
Audi was an early adopter of OLED lighting solutions. In 2016, the company became the first to illuminate the rear of a car using OLEDs—featuring them in the taillights of the Audi TT RS. Later in 2019, OLEDWorks announced its collaboration with Audi to integrate cutting-edge Atala technology into Audi vehicles and redefine the future of automotive lighting. Today, the carmaker is a leading innovator who is advancing the digitalization of OLEDs and transforming the way cars use light to communicate with road users and the surrounding environment.
Atala Features in the Audi Q8
The optional digital rear OLED lighting package in the Q8 features six ultra-thin Atala panels spanning the rear of the car. Four panels are included in the continuous inner tailgate lamp, while the right and left bodyside lamps each house one panel.
Audi’s Q8 lighting design truly shines through the customizable segments within each Atala panel. Segments are highly uniform, with sharp, high contrast edges that enable display-like lighting for exceptional communication capability. They are also individually addressable to allow for improved safety features and increased personalization options for customers.
There are six software-controlled segments in each panel, allowing for precise manipulation of each segment’s luminance. This functionality enables the individualized digital light signatures that customers can choose, including for welcome/leaving home scenarios. There is also a proximity indication signature for enhanced safety. This feature triggers the lighting of all 36 segments at once when a rear-approaching car gets within a certain distance (2 meters/6.6 feet) from a stopped Q8.
Atala lighting helps define the Audi Q8’s unmistakable presence on the road at night, with distinctive lighting signatures that match the brand and convey the character of the model. The flexible curved panels that span the entire rear and wrap around the curves of the Q8 increase overall safety features by helping road users gauge the full width of the vehicle in the dark.
Atala and the Road Ahead
Atala offers complete design freedom for virtually limitless opportunities to let your automotive lighting design shine. The future of OLED lighting will include more colors, shapes, and higher segment counts to expand design and personalization. It will also reflect safer mobility with further integration into vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication that benefits all road users.
Stay tuned for the next blog in our Future of OLEDs series for other stories about Atala, Audi, and more. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the OLEDWorks newsletter so you never miss an update!
The future is bright. The future is Atala.