Analysis Report: Lighting (Japanese Market)

View (U.S. and European Markets) Lighting Report Here

  Automobile lights are an important component, in terms of the legal safety requirements for driving on public roads as well as their role in the aesthetics of the vehicle. In the early eras of automobiles most lights were filament bulb types, but as the technology of vehicles improved various other types have emerged, such as halogen lamps, high-intensity discharge (HID) bulbs, and gas-discharge lamps. Most recently light emitting diode (LED) lamps are becoming the norm, as they are in households, due to their benefits in saving energy, lifespan, white light color, and rapid response.

  The most recognizable lighting system in automobiles is surely the headlights, which serve the dual function of emitting light so that the driver can see the surroundings, and so that other drivers and pedestrians can be made aware of the presence of the vehicle. Many technologies have recently appeared that contribute to the functionality of vehicle headlights. One of these developments was the Adaptive Front-Lighting System (AFS), which was designed to comply with the 2002 changes to the Japanese Road Transport Vehicle Act. The system shifts the headlights in the direction of steering; making sure that there is sufficient light to see the road ahead of the vehicle. This system was initially installed only on luxury vehicles, but adoption was eventually expanded to cover mini vehicles in recent years. Usage of the headlights, low beams for city driving and high beams when no other vehicles are nearby, has usually been left up to the judgment of the driver. However, with the popularization of automatic brakes and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), High Beam Control (HBC) systems that can automatically switch between low and high beam based on data input from installed cameras have become more common. Combined with AFS systems the two increase the levels of situational awareness for drivers. In the future, in-vehicle lighting likely will be integrated into the vehicle mega-architecture to pursue synergistic effects with CASE technologies such as ADAS, autonomous driving, V2X, as well as installing sensors in the lamp body, and expanding safety functions.

  This report deals with five categories of automobile lighting devices: headlights, AFS, HBC, rear lights/rear combination lights, and high mount stop lamps. Reflectors, number plate lamps, and interior lamps are not detailed.

Six companies that directly supply Japanese OEMs with lighting products are detailed later in this report. Among them the top three, Koito, Stanley, and Ichikoh, offer the full range of five products mentioned above. The remaining three offer only supplemental supply of rear and high-mount stop lamps.

For high mount stop lamps, Koito and Stanley lead the market, followed by Tokaidenso, Mitsuba, and Imasen.

In terms of the AFS and HBC headlight devices, the top three companies are competing fiercely. Technologically speaking Koito has a slight lead, due in part to being the first company in the world to implement a commercial AFS in 2003. The company also was the first to mass produce a single light type bi-function projector HBC, which it released in 2014.

From the following section, this report describes in detail the actual status of the lighting market in Japan based on the characteristics of each supplier and the products supplied to the Japanese OEMs.

Koito

• 20% shareholder Toyota is the largest customer, but Nissan, Honda, and other Japanese OEMs are also supplied.
• Supplies GM, Ford, Chrysler, and BMW in the U.S., and has strong ties with GM and VW in China.
• Offers a full lineup of headlights, AFS, HBC, rear lights, high mount stop lamps, and others, and supplies all of these to each Japanese maker.

Stanley

• 5% shareholder Honda is the largest customer. Stanley supplies around 80% of headlights for Honda models. Also has business with Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Suzuki, and Mazda.
• Offers a full lineup of headlights, AFS, HBC, rear lights, high mount stop lamps, and others, and supplies all of these to each Japanese maker.

Ichikoh

• Valeo is the parent company with an approximate 61% stake. Most supply goes to Toyota and Nissan.
• Offers a full lineup of headlights, AFS, HBC, rear lights, high mount stop lamps, and others, and supplies all of these to each Japanese maker.

Mitsuba

• Supplies Subaru and some others with high mount stop lamps.

Imasen

• Mostly supplies Mitsubishi Motors with rear combination lamps.

Tokaidenso

• Mainly supplies Daihatsu and Suzuki with rear lights and high mount brake lights.

Model equipment status by automaker

Toyota

Nissan

Honda

Mazda

Subaru

Mitsubishi

Suzuki

Daihatsu

Note: Value in ( ) represents the indirect ownership percentage, and along with the joint venture/partner is the investment percentage held in a subsidiary.

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