The days of conventional filament bulbs for vehicle interior lights may be numbered according to a report from Japan which says Toyota will use LEDs inside a new minivan – a world first.
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Toyota will buy white LEDs, developed from technology used to make blue LEDs, from Nichia for the minivan’s interior lights.
The report said that Nichia has many patents for white LEDs and has been increasing sales to makers of cellular phones. The company already supplies white LEDs to Denso for automotive guage illumination.
Applications for white LED are expected to expand to house lights as well as vehicle lights, the report said.
Toyoda Gosei, Nichia’s main rival LED producer, is also trying to commercialize white LEDs while lamp maker Stanley has shown prototype LED headlights combining 100 LED elements.
