PLYMOUTH, MI -- A prototype headlamp system developed by Hella in cooperation with Volkswagen has received top honors for innovation in a bi-annual competition held by Spain's Society of Automotive Engineers (Sociedad de Tecnicos de Automocion).

Hella's LED headlamp came in first among 87 entries in voting by an international panel of judges. The award was presented to Hella at the recently completed Barcelona Motor Show.

The award-winning design was developed in cooperation with Volkswagen for the Golf 5. It incorporates low beam, high beam, indicator and daytime running lights through the use of future-oriented LED technology.

"LEDs as light sources make it possible to create completely new headlamp shapes and arrangements," notes Dr. Raymund Heinen, president of HellaI lighting North America. "The increased durability of LEDs also may lead to automotive headlamp systems that will function without the need for replacement."

Hella is using both standard LEDs and LED assemblies specially developed for use in a variety of automotive lighting applications. Its prototype LED headlamp achieves around 1,000 Lumen luminous flux in ow beam, creating light similar in intensity to xenon headlamps. The company expects to begin production of the new headlamp in 2008.

Headlamps using LEDs for main lighting functions already meet applicable U.S. SAE standards. Approval is expected for LED headlamps within the European Community by 2008. LED signal functions located within the headlamp are already in use both in Europe and North America.

In 2003, Hella was the first company worldwide to achieve a series application of white LEDs as a combined position/daytime running light in the Audi A8 W12 headlamp.A

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