top of page

Pushing the Limits of Automotive Optical Sensing: How High-Power SMT LEDs Are Enabling Next-Gen LiDAR and DMS

Read Below:

  • High-power Surface Mount Technology (SMT) LEDs are transforming automotive optical sensing, enabling LiDAR and driver monitoring modules to reach farther with tighter beams.

  • Thermal and optical package advances mean higher currents in smaller footprints, simplifying lens stacks and PCB cooling.

  • McKinsey Electronics helps engineers in the Middle East, Türkiye & Africa integrate these cutting-edge optical systems, from LEDs to thermal & connector solutions.


During the last 10 years, optical sensing has gone from luxury to necessity in automotive safety. LiDAR builds 3D road maps for ADAS, while driver monitoring systems (DMS) use near-infrared illumination to track driver attention. These systems demand compact, rugged, high-intensity light sources that survive under the hood or in vibrating cabins, exactly where high-power automotive SMT LEDs now dominate.


ree

From lasers to rugged automotive LEDs

Early systems used IR laser diodes (LDs) for distance sensing, but their strict IEC 60825 eye safety limits, complex optics and tight thermal windows drove up cost. Mid-power IR LEDs couldn’t reach the intensities needed for long-range LiDAR or sun-washed DMS.

By contrast, today’s multi-junction SMT LEDs, like the OSLON families, combine high radiant flux with tight LES (light emitting surface), enabling simpler optics, cleaner beams and AEC-Q102 reliability.


What sets automotive-grade IR LEDs apart?

ree

The new frontier: OSLON Black Flat S Gen‑3

  • In April 2025, ams OSRAM launched the OSLON Black Flat S Gen‑3, advancing the platform for:

  • Higher radiant flux, up to 1250 mW @ 1 A.

  • New pad geometry & package, improving ΔT under pulsed loads, essential for LiDAR or DMS’s rapid on/off cycles.

  • Better LES uniformity, reducing beam distortion across MEMS sweeps.

ree

This means designers can maintain or extend sensing range with less power, simpler optics and lighter PCB copper, proving to be a big deal for EVs.

ree

Smaller LES means narrower beams with simpler optics, while lower R<sub>th</sub> allows compact boards without heavy heatsinking, crucial for modular ADAS ECUs and LiDAR towers.

ree

PCB and driver design essentials

  • Heavy copper (≥2 oz) + via arrays under LED pads to spread heat.

  • Ultra-fast decoupling near drivers; high di/dt pulses can exceed 5 A in <5 μs.

  • Tightly aligned optics — small LES makes lens centering more sensitive. Even a 200 μm offset can widen FWHM by >15%.

  • Redundant channels or diagnostic FETs to meet ISO 26262 illumination safety.


How McKinsey Electronics helps you design smarter optical systems

Headquartered in Dubai, McKinsey Electronics, ams OSRAM’s authorized distributor supports manufacturers across Africa, the Middle East and Türkiye with:

  • ams OSRAM automotive LED families, ensuring AEC-Q102 supply chains.

  • Complementary drivers, PMICs and thermals to keep junction temps under control.

  • On-ground engineering teams that assist with layout, EMC and BOM tuning, thus speeding your time to market.


Contact us today.

 
 
bottom of page