HELLA showcases emerging mobility solutions at NAIAS in Detroit

Plymouth, Michigan, January 19, 2018. Lighting and electronics expert HELLA will give attendees at the 2018 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) the opportunity to personally experience its innovative solutions shaping the future of mobility. For the first year, the company will have a demo vehicle at AutoMobili-D equipped with many of its latest autonomous driving solutions, including enhanced sensor, camera and lighting technologies, which are crucial components of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and help OEMs create safer and more intelligent vehicles. Along with its demo vehicle, HELLA will host a booth at AutoMobili-D that features the company’s technology investment group, HELLA Ventures, and many of their partnerships focused on the development of advanced technologies. Its presence at AutoMobili-D will highlight the company’s leadership in advancing critical industry trends like autonomous driving, connectivity & digitalization, efficiency & electrification, individualization, and creating new partnerships.

"Here at HELLA, we are proud to leverage our vast knowledge of lighting and electronics to develop next-generation technologies that assist OEMs in manufacturing vehicles ready for the autonomous future that lies ahead," said Steve Lietaert, President of HELLA Corporate Center USA. "We are excited to demonstrate several of our latest technologies on a vehicle at AutoMobili-D this year, and give visitors the chance to "Experience Tomorrow" for themselves."

In its exhibition vehicle, HELLA will for example show its 77 GHz radar sensors. The compact sensor design opens up new possibilities for integration, such as in the side of the vehicle. This enables a 360° environment recognition for identifying moving objects around the vehicle - from cars and bicyclists to pedestrians. This is especially necessary for automated driving and parking.

On the path from assisted to autonomous driving, detection functions based on cameras also play an important role. This is the only way to classify objects. HELLA has therefore also integrated into the exhibition vehicle the camera software by HELLA Aglaia. Thanks to the display vehicle, fair visitors can experience the camera-based recognition of pedestrians. This assistance systems can furthermore handle functions, such as traffic sign recognition, light control and lane recognition.

The vehicle is also equipped with the SHAKE (Structural Health and Knock Emission) sensors by HELLA. They enable the vehicle to not only "see" its environment (camera systems, radar systems), but to also "feel" it. For this purpose, the sensors detect structure-borne sounds or vibrations generated by contact or knocks on the vehicle skin by means of a piezoelectric foil. It allows to quickly identify parking damages, such as scratches, dents and paintwork damage.

HELLA will also present its Multi Lens Array technology, which for example allows to create light carpets. Each optic here consists of 170 very small micro lenses projecting a homogenous, sharp light pattern up to four meters on the ground in front of the vehicle. This allows displaying also high-definition logos and graphics.

Visitors to NAIAS 2018 can learn more about HELLA’s advanced solutions in its AutoMobili-D booth AD07/08, located in the autonomous driving section, in partnership with Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH, HBPO GmbH, BreezoMeter and HELLA Ventures.

Additionally, for the fourth consecutive year, HELLA will host invited customers in its private exhibit space on the third floor of Cobo Center during Industry Preview days on Jan. 17-18. The company will use this space to showcase many of its newest developmental technologies.