Marelli Automotive Lighting

Marelli has unveiled its new Interior Innovation Center (IIC) in Yoshimi, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, picking up the experience of the previous Miyahara location. This integrated facility will be strategic in fostering design-led innovation at speed for the creation of new vehicle interiors solutions aimed at present and next-generation vehicles.

“The establishment of the new innovation center for Interior Experience is an important step for our team.” saidTsukasa Fujii, President of Marelli’s Interior Experience division. “This advanced facility will be key in further enabling innovative value creation with our customers and partners, with a sense of speed.”

The location, that hosts a team of engineers and designers, is implementing three key initiatives inspired by the theme “What’s next? Innovation for the new era”.

The Interior Innovation Center has established a hybrid team structure, integrating interior engineering, electrical engineering, material engineering, and interior design: experts from different fields collaborate, and inspire each other to generate new ideas and solutions.

The Center is an environment focusing specifically on innovation: it is independent from the development and production units, while cooperating effectively with them to enhance creativity.

It applies manufacturing based on “3 Reals Theory” (principle to determine everything based on 3 realities at place, product and situation): equipped with clay modeling facilities, prototype workspaces, and Virtual Reality technology, the Interior Innovation Center creates realistic innovation, taking into account the realization at the actual production lines.

The progress achieved through the new center has already led to the creation of the cockpit concept ‘Digital Detox,’ which was exhibited at CES 2024. Following this concept, the cabin is realized to offer a comfortable ‘living room’ environment, with high-quality and sustainable materials. To ensure a relaxing personalized space, digital screens and buttons, when switched off, can become invisible, concealed under stylish panels or stored under the console. Necessary information is displayed when needed, ensuring a functional and enjoyable experience.

The aim of the Interior Innovation Center is to create next-generation cockpit solutions through the combination of innovative ideas and technologies. To realize this vision, it promotes a series of strategic initiatives.

Firstly, it deepens the collaboration with innovation teams in America, Europe, China, and other Marelli global locations, by conducting workshops and facilitating the exchange of knowledge across borders, bringing together diverse perspectives and technologies.

In addition, it promotes open innovation, as it actively collaborates with OEMs and other industries, aiming to create new value through the fusion of inter-industry technologies and ideas. It also integrates the latest electronic technologies with sustainable material engineering to promote eco-friendly innovation.

Finally, the Interior Innovation Center fosters a culture that encourages creative thinking and experimental challenges, providing an environment where members can freely propose ideas and fearlessly explore new solutions.

Through the fusion of technology and design, global collaboration, open innovation, and a focus on sustainability, Marelli’s Interior Experience team aims to push the boundaries of interior design and technology, creating the next generation of personalized interior experiences.

Frank Huber will join Marelli as Executive Vice President and President Automotive Lighting and Sensing effective March 1, 2024, and will be based in Reutlingen, Germany.

David Slump, President and CEO of Marelli: "I am delighted that Frank is to join Marelli and further strengthen our leadership team. He will lead the ambitious growth plans of Automotive Lighting & Sensing, the largest part of our business, where great opportunities are evolving around vehicle personality."

"After more than eighteen years, Sylvain Dubois will leave the company. This has been a mutual decision and I would like to personally thank Sylvain for his leadership and his valuable contribution to Automotive Lighting & Sensing and Marelli over the years. I am grateful that he will stay on until June 1, to ensure a seamless handover process."

Frank has more than 20 years of experience in the automotive industry and knows the automotive lighting business inside out. He joins from Forvia in France, where he has been President of the global automotive seating business since 2022. Previously, he worked in Germany as CEO of automotive lighting and member of the management board at Hella. At Hella, Frank also held multiple leadership positions in lighting in China, the U.S. and Mexico. Before that, he worked at McKinsey, Audi, Mercedes-AMG and Liebherr Aerospace. Frank holds an Executive MBA from Harvard Business School, U.S., graduated from Stuttgart University, Germany, and holds a PhD in Automotive Engineering.

The company’s LASER and optical fiber rear lamp technology is an industry-first solution pairing a red LASER with rear automotive lighting functionality

Marelli, a leading mobility technology supplier to the automotive sector, was named a CES 2024 Innovation Award Honoree for its Red LASER & Optical Fiber Rear Lamp. Marelli is the first lighting manufacturer to develop and bring to market red LASER technology paired with rear lighting functionality. To produce the lamp, Marelli coupled a red LASER diode with optical sidelight fibers within the LASER. The result is a very thin illuminated line, that gives OEMs the flexibility to create equally unique and stylish brand signatures.

Marelli developed this technology for a German luxury vehicle manufacturer with very specific requirements – to achieve a unique night-time appearance using thin suspended light guides no more than 1 mm in diameter. State-of-the-art light guides could not be used, as they are about 6 mm in diameter, made of plastic, heavier than optical fibers, and not aesthetically suitable for the application. Optical fibers offer more design flexibility in that they can achieve different shapes and curves using light – and guarantee homogeneity – which can’t be achieved with a larger plastic light guide. The decorative fibers occupy very little space while giving the appearance of multiple illuminated lines. The fibers can be considered a standard component that can be reused with different design and position options 360 degrees around the car.

The LASER and optical fiber combination is truly unique in that it supports styling flexibility while also being sustainable, due to its power efficiency and reduced weight. To achieve the same illumination and homogeneity with LEDs as the light source, the power consumption would be three times higher. LASER technology also enables a “speckle effect” along the fibers, resulting in a distinguishing appearance never before seen in a rear lamp.

Marelli will showcase its latest technologies, including the LASER and optical fiber rear lamp at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, NV, January 9-11, 2024, at the Wynn Hotel, Latour Ballroom 5-6.

In January 2024, Marelli will attend CES in Las Vegas with its latest innovations. Within our private, invitation-only booth at the Wynn Hotel, guests will participate in a Design-Led Innovation journey, stepping through the phases of the vehicle co-design process. Visitors will see how Marelli is enabling the software-defined vehicle revolution through our scalable hardware architecture, service-oriented software, and cloud virtualization technology, powered by AWS, QNX, and Qualcomm.

In our Digital Twin Studio, visitors can select vehicle features using an interactive app and see them come to life in a demo car. Our Co-Creation @ Speed area will showcase the power of our Digital Twin, capable of replicating an entire vehicle cockpit in the cloud. The concept accelerates design, testing, simulation, and feature deployment over the air.

“I’m excited to share our vision for the software-defined vehicle at CES in January, and to demonstrate how we can put the power of personalization in the hands of automakers and vehicle owners,” said David Slump, President and CEO. “Our focus on innovation, digitization, and technology, combined with the value of our strong relationships with AWS, QNX, and Qualcomm, allows us to create broad solutions for our customers at Marelli speed.”

• Exclusive experience showcasing how Marelli is helping to enable the software-defined vehicle revolution through its scalable hardware architecture, service-oriented software, and cloud virtualization technology, powered by AWS, QNX, and Qualcomm Technologies
• In the Digital Twin Studio, visitors can select vehicle features using an interactive app and see them activated in a demo car
• The company’s Digital Twin technology will be on display in the Co-Creation @Speed area, replicating vehicle components in the cloud to accelerate design, testing, simulation, and feature deployment over-the-air

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Marelli, a leading mobility technology supplier to the automotive sector, will showcase its latest innovations at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, NV, January 9-11, 2024, at the Wynn Hotel. The invitation-only, curated experience will introduce guests to Marelli’s approach to Design-Led Innovation.

Those visiting Marelli’s hospitality suite at CES will be treated to a customized journey stepping through the phases of the vehicle co-creation process. As a first step, guests will enter the Digital Twin Studio, where they will answer a few preference-driven questions that will result in a persona that best reflects them. Their feature-based selections will be activated in a demo car later in the journey. Visitors will also be introduced to Marelli’s Digital Twin technology.

In the Co-Creation @Speed area, visitors will learn more about Marelli’s software-defined vehicle value proposition, and interact with technologies powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), QNX, and Qualcomm Technologies. They will see how the company helps support architecture scalability, software portability, zone control standardization, and cloud virtualization. Visitors will interact with the company’s Digital Twin demonstrator, which can replicate a vehicle cockpit in the cloud.

After visiting the Digital Twin Studio and Co-Creation @Speed areas, visitors can sit in the driver’s seat in the first of two demo cars in the booth. It’s here that the persona-based features from the Digital Twin Studio will be activated. Guests can interact with their personalized 3D avatar, and experience Marelli’s award-winning pillar-to-pillar display, ambient lighting, smart surfaces, driver monitoring, and multifunctional HMI technology. Thin light modules and light bar technology are integrated into the vehicle front.

Marelli will showcase lighting and display technologies in the Design for Affordability area. These solutions boast a simplified hardware and software design resulting in fewer parts, reduced weight, reduced CO2 emissions, and cost less than traditional lighting and display products. These lean design concepts are achieved through technology optimization, a design for manufacturing approach, and supply chain localization.

Technologies designed to impact vehicle performance will be on display in the Design for Performance area, including Marelli’s fully-active electromechanical suspension system, zone control unit, integrated thermal management module, and wireless battery management system powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The future of mobility will be revealed in the private, Design for What’s Next space, which will offer a sneak peek at what Marelli is designing next – an AI-powered in-vehicle experience – including advanced audio and sound zoning, motorized hidden displays and interior components, in-console projection, eco-materials, multi-functional interfaces, high-definition headlamps with ground projection, multi-color, illuminated front panels and grilles, external message displays, rear window projection, and more.

“I’m excited to share our vision for enabling the software-defined vehicle at CES in January, and to demonstrate how we can put the power of personalization in the hands of automakers and vehicle owners,” said David Slump, President and CEO, of Marelli. “Our focus on design-led innovation combined with the value of our strong relationships with AWS, QNX, and Qualcomm, allows us to create broad solutions for our customers at Marelli speed.”

Marelli is leading the way towards centralized architectures in the automotive industry with its new CCU (Central Computing Unit) and ZIU (Zone Interface Unit). Three large European and Chinese OEMs have already selected Marelli as their partner for the development and manufacturing of these critical components.

This is a demonstration of Marelli's know-how in the field, built on deep multi-domain expertise that spans across body, lighting, sensing, propulsion, ride dynamics, and thermal management hardware and software.

Marelli's acquired business for CCU and ZIU now includes more than 16 million units.

This compact, efficient, and affordable, high-resolution projection module is based on ams OSRAM’s EVIYOS® 2.0 light source, with around 20,000 pixels per lamp. It is already in series production. This digital lighting solution can selectively illuminate the road ahead to maximize the driver’s view in high-beam mode without creating the glare typically experienced by other road users. The individually controllable LEDs with a pixel pitch of 40 µm can also project high-resolution images on to the road surface, for instance to display warning symbols to the driver or other road users, or to guide the driver past obstacles.

Marelli, together with ams OSRAM launches a ground-breaking innovation in automotive front lighting, introducing the h-Digi® microLED module, which is now in series production. This digital lighting solution, based on a new type of intelligent multipixel LED, enables fully adaptive, dynamic headlight operation and image projection, while being an affordable technology, available for a wider range of vehicles.

The new high-resolution module h-Digi® microLED is based on a matrix illumination system – featuring around 40,000 LED pixels (20,000 per lamp). This intelligent solution manages the LEDs selectively to create very flexible low-beam and high-beam light distributions, adapting to various driving situations: Town, Country, Motorway or Adverse weather light options can be realized. It also provides dynamic curve light and very precise glare-free high beam block out zones, to avoid blinding oncoming drivers. Furthermore, in terms of safety, the Marelli h-Digi® microLED can project warnings or driver assistance images on the road, directly in the driver’s field of view. Other advantages include the extremely compact design and high energy efficiency.

The Marelli microLED system is based on ams OSRAM’s light source EVIYOS® 2.0. Its combination with a special optical lens system and a new electronic control engineered by Marelli’s Automotive Lighting & Sensing division, enables the enhanced level of adaptability of the illumination field. This is the first time that LEDs with a size of 40 µm x 40 µm are introduced as pixel elements in vehicle headlamps. With EVIYOS® 2.0, ams OSRAM made this technology available for the automotive use, which was a decisive factor for the Marelli-ams OSRAM partnership in this project.

With pixels smaller than 0,1 degree, the resolution of this illumination matrix system is 10 times more precise than conventional LED glare-free high beam systems, which are currently on the road. Two micro-LED options are available: an aspect ratio of 1:4, resulting in 25,600 pixels, or an aspect ratio of 1:3, providing 19,200 pixels per lamp.

Didier Thalgott, Senior VP at Marelli’s Automotive Lighting & Sensing division, said: “ams OSRAM and Marelli are cooperating to transform the future of automotive front lighting. The h-Digi® microLED platform module, based on the ams OSRAM EVIYOS® 2.0, enables us to develop solutions for global carmakers providing more safety and comfort for drivers at night. In addition, thanks to its compactness, improved power consumption and affordable pricing, the system opens doors to applying the technology also in mid-level car segments. With h-Digi® microLED, Marelli is driving the next generation of digital vehicle lighting.”

Wolfgang Lex, Senior Vice President Automotive at ams OSRAM, said: ”High-resolution adaptive forward lighting is set to become the next big differentiator for vehicles from the world’s premium brands. EVIYOS® 2.0 is the enabler of the most precisely controllable forward lighting systems, and is a major new value creator for the automotive industry. We are excited to be working with Marelli to co-create the future of automotive mobility and enhance the driver safety and experience.”

The h-Digi® microLED is Marelli’s second generation of high-resolution projection systems. It follows the path kicked-off with the h-Digi®, the worldwide first headlamp with a high-definition projector introduced by Marelli in 2018, which was based on digital micro-mirror (DMD) technology, in series production for premium OEMs.

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Marelli will be the exclusive race control technology sponsor of Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC). The IAC is a series of competitions among full-scale autonomous racecars, driven by software programmed by top engineering and technology university teams from around the world, that compete on iconic tracks. Marelli technology will allow IAC to develop a highly automated race control system that can marshal our university teams AI drivers.

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., June 12, 2023 -- Marelli today announced that it will be the exclusive race control technology sponsor of the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC). A technical partnership for connectivity solutions has been signed, based on which Marelli will supply, to all IAC fully autonomous racecars, technologies to ensure vehicle connection, race control, and data analysis and will also provide technical support. The announcement is made on the eve of the next IAC exhibition, that will be held at the Monza F1 circuit during the Milan Monza Motor Show (MIMO) which will run from 16 to 18 June.

The IAC is a series of competitions among full-scale autonomous racecars, driven by software programmed by top engineering and technology university teams from around the world, that compete on iconic tracks. A primary goal of the IAC is to advance technology for fully autonomous vehicles and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).

As a global supplier of automotive technologies and a telemetry leader in motorsport, Marelli will provide essential technologies to all competing racecars through one of its advanced connectivity systems, the Smart Antenna LTE. This compact device, installed on the vehicles, ensures reliable and high-quality communication between autonomous cars and control systems, leveraging the public mobile network provided by a global telecommunications operator.

Marelli has also developed for the IAC an innovative race control software for monitoring and managing the races. The system enables precise supervision of autonomous racecars during competitions, ensuring maximum safety and performance optimization.

Furthermore, Marelli will provide the comprehensive WinTAX data analysis system package, offering essential support for interpreting and processing data collected during the races. This will enable participating universities to gain valuable insights into the performance of autonomous cars and continuously improve their driving algorithms.

The company will offer specialized training sessions to university teams for a full understanding of the features and potential of Marelli systems for the IAC. A highly qualified technical support team will also be available to address any needs and assist the IAC throughout the development and racing process.

As part of the agreement, Marelli’s logo will be featured on the livery of all vehicles participating in the IAC competitions.

“We are thrilled to apply our expertise in telemetry to the innovative front of autonomous racing vehicles” – said Riccardo De Filippi, Head of Marelli Motorsport – “We have a long tradition in supplying connectivity technologies for the main motorsport championships worldwide and are always willing to push innovation ahead with solutions that combine performance and safety. Therefore, we immediately recognized the potential of this partnership as a fertile environment for technological development.”

“With a track record of innovation and excellence, Marelli is exactly the kind of partner we need and want as our exclusive race control technology provider,” said Paul Mitchell, president, Indy Autonomous Challenge. “Marelli technology will allow IAC to develop a highly automated race control system that can marshal our university teams AI drivers. This level of real-time communication and automated instructions between race control and racecars will be a first of its kind and will demonstrate an extra level of safety for AV and ADAS systems.” We are excited to have Marelli onboard to help us push the limits of autonomous driving.”

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Today we introduce the new Marelli Sustainability Report 2022.

Under the theme "Where innovation meets sustainability", this fourth edition of our Sustainability Report marks an important milestone in our sustainability journey.

It tells our progress over the last year in establishing our ESG governance across the company, shares some of our Sustainability targets to be delivered by the end of 2025 and captures Marelli’s sustainability achievements in the period from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.

It also shows how we reviewed and updated our materiality matrix to align with the highest ESG market standards and shares our goals for carbon neutrality over the next years.

You can download the sustainability report from https://www.marelli.com/powering-sustainable-progress/

Marelli demonstrated its latest innovations at Auto Shanghai 2023, the prominent automotive exhibition held from April 18-27 2023, at the Shanghai National Exhibition and Convention Center. Within its booth – located in Hall 1.2H, Stand 1BF015 – the company offered an interactive and engaging experience, themed around the concept “Co-Create What’s Next”, aimed at co-creating the future of mobility with customers and technology partners.

Customers visiting Marelli’s booth will had the opportunity to define their brand’s personality by configuring their own vehicle, choosing from a curated selection of lighting, sensing, electronics, and interior options featured in Marelli’s Digital Design Studio. Marelli also presented products that drive vehicle personality and performance, including those most relevant for the Chinese market.

In the domain of vehicle personality, Marelli showcased its automotive lighting and sensing technologies, that allow 360° illumination around the car and expand safety, communication, and branding functionalities beyond the vehicle. Perfect examples are Near-Field Ground Projection - which allows for welcome, safety and communication messages to be displayed on the ground surrounding the vehicle - and illuminated front panels, which integrate lighting systems and sensors, and can display or project messages and customized illuminated elements with animation diversification enabled by software.

Marelli also premiered its In-Cabin Advanced Technology Showcase, a physical representation of a vehicle interior that highlights Marelli’s latest innovations in computational hardware, software, exciting user interfaces, and infrastructure. As choices in terms of materials become increasingly important for the cabin of the future, Marelli offers visitors a tactile “touch & feel” experience with its material collection, displaying sustainable, eco-friendly, and translucent backlit materials that influence vehicle personality.

Among the technologies driving vehicle performance is Marelli’s electromechanical actuator, known as Full Active Electro mechanic technology, which provides the best damping and self-generated reactive force to minimize roll, pitch, yaw, and vibration, allowing new suspension architectures for the carmaker. Other chassis solutions include the Semiactive Twin valve system that provides a wider range of tunability independently in rebound and compression to the customer, with a very quick response time.

Catering to the needs of e-mobility, Marelli showcased its wireless Battery Management System (wBMS), that reduces wiring harnesses by 90%, and its high voltage eAxle solutions, with a twin design integrating two independent electric machines powered by two independent Silicon Carbide inverters, able to work over 900V. Its very compact and lightweight design ensures best-in-class power density while enabling advanced functions such as torque vectoring and boost charging.

For traditional powertrains, Marelli offers an integrated multi-domain controller for powertrain and vehicle control, which manages propulsion, improved torque coordination, and thermal management, as well as vertical and longitudinal dynamics: this allows for a simpler vehicle architecture and fewer control units, resulting in lower weight and emissions.

Finally, to help OEMs meet emissions legislation, Marelli is highlighting the Burner Active Catalyst Heating System, for gasoline and diesel engines, that allows for lower fuel consumption with no effect on engine power output, significant emissions reductions (e.g.: CO, HC, NOx) and a 50% reduction in catalyst warm-up time, with the ability to start in all conditions and at very low temperatures.

Marelli has a local footprint of 22 production facilities, eight R&D centers and nine joint ventures with local partners in China. The company combines innovation, quality and R&D capabilities in the Country, to work hand in hand with local customers and partners and to shape cutting-edge solutions for China needs, that will be key to foster the company’s growth locally and globally.

About Marelli
Marelli is one of the world’s leading global independent suppliers to the automotive sector. With a strong and established track record in innovation and manufacturing excellence, our mission is to transform the future of mobility through working with customers and partners to create a safer, greener, and better-connected world.

With around 50,000 employees worldwide, the Marelli footprint includes 170 facilities and R&D centers across Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Africa.