Optoelectronic Auto Accessories Take Markets by Storm
2003/04/25 | By
Taiwan's manufacturers are no exception--in fact, it is especially important to them to catch this trend because of rising competition from mainland China and other low-cost suppliers. The local auto-accessories industry has already achieved significant success in this effort by integrating the advantages of Taiwan's optoelectronics industry, precision mold and die development, and state-of-the-art design capabilities.
Among the most eye-catching of the island's extensive stable of innovative accessories today is a set of two side mirrors, an interior rearview mirror, and a gearshift knob that features synchronized color changes to create a dazzling light show both inside and outside the car.
This set was developed by Shiniest Industries Inc., whose managing director, Rocky Lin, calls attention to the super-bright light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in the side-mirror arms (or bases; they are made of transparent material), rearview mirror edges, and gearshift knob, which emit colorful light in seven fixed and one interchangeable modes according to the user's choice. Other orange-colored LEDs in the side mirrors provide background color.
In addition to full sets, buyers can also place orders for color-change mirrors or gearshift knobs separately.
Shiniest is also offering a pair of M3-type side mirrors with flashy electro-luminescent (EL) rims which, according to Lin, are totally waterproof and will last as long as the car on which they are mounted. The only color currently offered is blue, but the company plans to develop others, including green, yellow, and purple.
Established in 1983, Shiniest is a specialized auto-accessory trading firm devoted to the development of newer and better products with optoelectronic technology.
State-of-the-Art Optoelectronics
Another company in the line, Just Auto Accessories Co., has also introduced several state-of-the-art accessory items that integrate optoelectronic technology.
One of these is a high-end third-brake light that uses super-bright LEDs and chrome-plated reflectors to provide the best warning and decorative effect. This new product has won Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and E-mark certification in the United States and Europe. The producer claims that it is one of the most advanced models of its type on the market.
The product comes in two models, the 6203 with oval-shaped housing and the 6204 with rectangular housing. Each lamp uses 12 LEDs, providing longer life than the usual halogen or incandescent bulbs while using only one-eighth the power. The light is sealed using ultrasonic technology to guarantee 100% resistance to water and fogging.
Just Auto has also recently introduced an innovative and attractive windshield-washer set, model No. 2201, that sport the shape of a dolphin and have seven-color LEDs in their tails.
Another new item being offered by the company is the model 2205 thunderbolt light, which can be installed at any location on a car's chassis. Super-bright LEDs give the car a multicolored "dancing" effect (visible to outside observers but not the driver), whether in motion or at rest.
Other products that are expected to boost sales for Just Auto in the first half of 2003 are a windshield-washer set with rainbow LED lights and changeable caps to match the car's body color, and a super-slim three-LED side marker that can be installed without drilling.
Just Auto is a long-established supplier of auto accessories in Taiwan, but began transforming itself five years ago by concentrating on three major product categories: LED third-brake lights, optoelectronic auto accessories, and fiberglass aerodynamic body parts. The company currently operates two factories, one in Taiwan (for the production of new and pilot- production items) and the other in mainland China's Guangdong Province for large-volume items and for fiberglass body parts such as engine hoods, spoilers, and side skirts.
Lighted Knobs
Yong Sheng Co., which specializes in gearshift knobs, is offering a new "02-series" of dual- purpose knobs that feature a high-tech appearance and ergonomic design. Each knob also sports two LEDs inside.
The knobs are powered through an external wire that connects to the cigarette lighter, and when switched on they emit cold light from three holes for both reading and decorative purposes. To make the light more even and attractive, 3M reflection panels are used in the holes. Light colors and the knob's surface treatment can be custom ordered.
Alloy There!
For high-end accessory buffs, Camco Auto Sangyo Co. is offering mufflers of titanium alloy that provide unparalleled attractiveness along with light weight. These products, company officials claim, prove that Taiwan's titanium-alloy manufacturing capability is equal to that of Japan and Germany.
For flashier and more aerodynamic exteriors, Camco has introduced several carbon-fiber rear spoilers that feature a mysterious three- dimensional effect by using prepreg carbon- fiber shaping techniques. The firm's general manager, Bruce Liu, reports that Camco uses colored prepreg cloth imported from France, and that color options have been expanded from the original black to include red, silver, and blue. He says that the new spoilers have elicited an "almost insane" response from the U.S. market.
About 30 models of aluminum-alloy spoilers-- both fixed and adjustable models for various types of autos such as sedans, minivans, coupes, and hatchbacks--have been designed to meet the demand in the American market. Also in the firm's catalog is an extensive series of muffler tips (tailpipes) with arrays of light-emitting diodes around their rims. While new to the market, Liu says, these are actually mature products because Camco has fully solved the problem of heat dissipation by using advanced materials to keep exhaust heat from affecting the function and durability of the LEDs. Each of the tailpipes has six high-luminescence LEDs with a variety of color options, including a color-changing mode that causes colors to switch constantly.
The company claims that the four-inch TFT- LCD display in the mirror it produces is the largest of its kind, enabling it to display clear images and information for drivers.
Camco was set up in 1985 and now supplies products made by over 200 manufacturers in Taiwan and mainland China. In 1990 it moved into the field of performance-tuning parts, which now contribute about 60% of its total revenue.
All the Information Drivers Need
Mobiletron Electronics Co. recently developed a versatile rearview mirror that serves as a multimedia platform incorporating a number of functions. A four-inch thin film transistor- liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) screen built into the mirror under a special surface coating allows the product to act not merely as a high- end anti-glare mirror but also as an in-car information and monitoring center. It can display images transmitted by a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera mounted in the front or rear of the car (or both), a DVD or VCD player, an in-car inspection camera (to keep watch on a baby in the rear seat, or goods in the trunk), or a global positioning system (GPS) device. The mirror is controlled by a hands-free unit.
The functions of the mirror display can be expanded to include such features as a wider angle of view (achieved by using wide-angle cameras) with a night-vision function, the possibility of saving images via a digital video recorder (DVR) unit (useful for evidence pertaining to accidents or crimes), tire-pressure display (employing wireless sensors in the tires), and electronic compass. The firm's ultimate goal is to perfect a mirror that can serve as a multimedia platform with diversified applications that replace all in-car entertainment, security, and navigation devices.
Mobiletron claims to be the world's most comprehensive supplier of auto-ignition modules as well as key components such as voltage regulators, rectifiers, and diodes. (It is also a major supplier of electric hand tools.)
The company reports that it has received large orders for GPS hands-free mirror models from Avis, a noted car-rental firm, and that several other significant orders are under negotiation. Shipments of the mirrors are expected to reach about 100,000 units this year.