What's all this about?

Audi has come up with some new headlight technology.

Oh, not again! Hasn't it already got the bases covered in this field?

We must admit, Ingolstadt seems to have a bit of a bee in its bonnet at the moment about methods of road illumination. This latest technology is called Matrix OLED and it sits alongside Matrix LED (note the lack of an 'O') and Matrix Laser systems in Audi's catalogue of candescence.

OLED? I thought that was a type of telly.

Don't be facetious. It stands for organic light emitting diodes, which use two electrodes - one of which is transparent - incorporating multiple thin layers of organic semi-conductor materials. A low DC voltage of between three and four volts lights these layers up.

And?

OLEDs are much more efficient than standard LEDs, are lighter (in terms of weight, not necessarily luminosity) and don't require much in the way of cooling. Furthermore, they're a flat light source.

I'm in the dark on that one...

Enough with the light gags. Traditional 'point' light sources, such as filament bulbs and LEDs, require reflectors, light guides and optical components, and they also cast shadows. OLEDs need none of the first three things and - weirdly - do not create shadows.

And which car benefits from these OLEDs - the Audi R8 Mk2?

No, they will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September on an unspecified concept car.

Thank you. You have been most illuminating.

Yes. Very good.

Matt Robinson - 30 Jul 2015