Holograms in automotive headlamps – chances and challenges

The appearance and the brand recognition have come more and more into the focus of automotive headlamp design. In addition the available space for the components becomes smaller due to the idea of smaller and filigree shapes. To realize these new ideas, it is necessary to expand the range of useable components and available technologies. One possibility might be the use of holograms for light shaping. Advantages like low thickness and the invisibility of the stored information in the absence of reference light make holograms interesting for illuminating systems. There are different requirements that have to be satisfied by optical components for automotive lighting like a wide range of operating temperatures, the illumination of a defined angular range combined with high distances and, currently, the use of polychromatic and divergent light sources. In this context a short overview of the main requirements for the use of holograms in headlamps is given and their consequences for the design and simulation aspects of holograms are presented and discussed.