Top 10 LEDs and LED drivers

The adoption of LEDs continues to expand across a variety of sectors, including automotive, agricultural, industrial, commercial, and outdoor lighting. The biggest growth drivers are their lower power consumption, longer life, and better illumination. LED driver developments go hand in hand with these advances, focusing on improvements in brightness and color control.

Automotive and agricultural lighting segments in particular have seen some of the biggest advances and growth over the past year. The automotive LED lighting market is estimated at $9.3 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach $14.3 billion by 2030, according to market research firm Mordor Intelligence. Demand is driven by the electrification of vehicles, driving the need for energy-efficient lighting, and technology advances in lighting systems.

Mordor Intelligence also reports that LEDs hold an 80.3% market share in the horticultural lighting segment thanks to significant efficiency gains that reduced power bills by up to 60%. The horticultural lighting market is valued at $9.8 billion in 2025 and is expected to increase to $19.5 billion by 2030.

Here are 10 LED and LED drivers introduced over the past year, targeting automotive, agricultural, or outdoor applications. These devices deliver a range of improvements, from higher brightness and higher efficiency to better brightness control, smaller form factors, and greater durability.

Horticultural and outdoor lighting

Efficiency is the name of the game in horticultural LED lighting. Two examples are Cree LED’s XLamp XP-L Photo Red S Line and ams Osram’s OSCONIQ P 3737 GEN 2 for greenhouses.

Cree LED, a Penguin Solutions brand, launched the XLAMP XP-L Photo Red S Line LEDs, delivering higher efficiency and durability for greenhouses, vertical farms, and other large-scale growing operations. Claiming to set a new standard in efficiency for horticultural LED lighting, the LEDs combine efficiency and durability while reducing maintenance costs.

These XLAMP XP-L Photo Red S Line LEDs provide a 6% improvement in wall-plug efficiency over the previous generation, reaching 83.5% at 700 mA and 25°C. Other key specifications include a maximum drive current of 1,500 mA, a low thermal resistance of 1.15°C/W, and a wide viewing angle of 125°. The LEDs are binned at 25°C. They are RoHS- and REACH-compliant.

Horticultural customers can reduce operating costs with the same output with less power consumption, or they can lower initial costs with a redesign that cuts the number of Photo Red LEDs required by up to 35%, Cree LED said. They also provide seamless upgrades in existing designs with the same 3.45 × 3.45-mm XP package as the previous XP-G3 Photo Red S Line LEDs.

Thanks to its advanced S Line technology, the XP-L Photo Red LEDs offer high sulfur and corrosion resistance that extend their lifespan and deliver high reliability. This reduces maintenance costs while enabling the devices to withstand harsh greenhouse environments, the company said.

They are also built to provide high reliability during demanding switching and dimming cycles and provide long-lasting performance in outdoor applications.

Cree LED’s XLAMP XP-L Photo Red S Line LEDs (Source: Cree LED)

Ams Osram claims its high-power LED OSCONIQ P 3737 GEN 2 offers the highest efficiency in its class with a focus on sustainability. This Gen 2 LED can be used as a toplight mounted on greenhouse ceilings, for interlighting between rows of plants and flowers, and as a standalone light source for vertical farming. It is part of the company’s horticultural portfolio covering all key wavelengths from hyper red and far red to deep blue.

The OSCONIQ P 3737 GEN 2 significantly boosts photosynthetic performance and shortens crop cycles, ams Osram said, thanks to its 82.4% total efficiency in hyper red and a photon flux of 6.09 µmol/s with minimal energy consumption. Compared with its predecessor, GEN 2 provides 3.2% higher performance and 2.2% higher efficiency and supports a maximum drive current of 2,800 mA in both hyper red and far red. Key benefits include a reduction in the number of LEDs needed and lower energy consumption. It also enables compact, multichannel luminaire designs.

Ams Osram’s OSCONIQ P 3737 GEN 2 for greenhouses (Source: ams Osram)

Efficiency and sustainability are also a priority for outdoor and industrial applications. Lumileds’s LUXEON 5050 HE Plus LEDs can deliver 199 lm/W and 746 lm of light output, reducing application power consumption by 18% or more in critical infrastructure applications.

The lower energy consumption of the LUXEON 5050 HE Plus also supports the transition to low- or no-carbon electricity supply, enabling OEMs to achieve greater sustainability in their manufacturing process by reducing the physical material in both the heat sink and the system’s driver, Lumileds said. It lowers energy and system costs by delivering the highest efficacy and output in industrial and outdoor lighting applications.

Other improvements include a lower thermal resistance, to 1.1 k/W, so that smaller,
less costly heat sinks can be used and narrower flux bin widths of 25 lm enable more accurate system design. The package supports a maximum drive current of 1.2 A.

Joining the LUXEON 5050 Round, LUXEON 5050 Square, and LUXEON 5050 HE, both the HE and HE Plus parts have a square light-emitting surface. The performance advances available in the HE Plus versions are also available in the SunPlus 5050 LEDs for the horticultural industry. The LUXEON 5050 HE Plus is suited for on- and off-grid lighting solutions with correlated color temperature options as low as 1,800 K and 70 or 80 color rendering index.

Lumileds’s LUXEON 5050 HE Plus (Source: Lumileds)

Automotive LEDs

Last year, ams Osram launched the third generation of its eXchangeable LED signal (XLS) lamp, an ECE-standardized platform with more than five light sources that cover all the major vehicle signal applications. Its latest addition is the easy-to-install plug-and-play OSRAM XLS LR6 red LED, an ECE R128 standardized light source with a luminous efficacy of 180 lm. This gives manufacturers access to brighter and more efficient lighting solutions, the company said.

Enabling slim designs in automotive lighting, along with greater durability, the OSRAM XLS LR6 can be used for stop, tail, and rear fog lights, turn signals, single-function lights, and center high-mount stop lights. The LR6 is ready for series production.

A prototype demonstrator for a tail-lighting application shows the potential of the LR6 in long light guides. Built in accordance with applicable ECE regulations, the prototype consists of two parts: a meter-long light guide with one LR6 module for the tail-light function and a rear light with two light guides, using one LY5 for the turn signal and one LR5 for the tail-/brake-light function. This delivers a rear combination light and light on the trunk.

Ams Osram’s XLS LR6 tail-light prototype (Source: ams Osram)

Ams Osram also extended its OSLON Black Flat S LEDs for automotive forward lighting. The third generation delivers an upgraded chip with 16% higher brightness and the same footprint as Gen 2 devices for easy upgrading of headlamps, daytime running lamps, and front fog lights. It also maintains the uniform beam pattern and consistent color over angle of the previous generation.

Used as a light source for forward lighting in both four- and two-wheeled vehicles, the OSLON Black Flat S family of LEDs features a robust black leadframe QFN package, which is suited to automated SMT assembly. They offer an excellent contrast for use in reflector-based lamps, the company said.

The third generation of OSLON Black Flat S offers better performance and mechanical specifications. The Gen 3 products feature the latest UX:3 chip, increasing the typical brightness per chip from 395 lm at 1 A/25°C in Gen 2 to 460 lm. The package offers excellent thermal compatibility with metal-core (aluminum) PCBs for higher mechanical and electrical reliability in forward lighting systems, and the package’s thermally efficient chip-on-copper structure contributes to improved thermal management performance.

Compared with Gen 2, the Gen 3 multichip products offer a tighter specification for package height at 0.49 mm ±0.6 mm. This is in the same range as the height of the one-chip device, enabling OEMs to reduce the distance between the emitter and the optics for more efficient optical coupling.

By keeping the mechanical, electrical, and optical specifications similar to the Gen 2 LEDs, other than the higher brightness, this allows users of previous products to easily upgrade to Gen 3 for headlamps, daytime running lamps, and front fog lights. The OSLON Black Flat S Gen 3 is available in one-, two-, three-, and four-chip versions.

Ams Osram’s OSLON Black Flat S one-chip LED (Source: ams Osram)

LED drivers

In the LED driver market, most of the new innovations center around automotive applications. These advances include supporting more LEDs, optimizing efficiency, and enabling smaller form factors.

Diodes Inc. expanded its automotive-compliant LED driver portfolio with the AL8891Q synchronous buck LED driver with high-side current sense that drives up to 2 A from a wide, 4.5 to 65-V input voltage range. The synchronous buck LED driver can drive longer LED chains thanks to a 95% duty cycle. Applications include automotive headlights, daytime running lights, front and rear fog lights, turn/stop lights, map lights, and dimmable interior and exterior lights.

The AEC-Q100–qualified LED driver uses constant-on-time control to achieve simple control-loop compensation and cycle-by-cycle current limiting with a fast transient response without an external compensation capacitor. The switching frequency is adjustable from 200 kHz to 2.5 MHz to optimize efficiency and achieve a smaller inductor and compact form factor. A spread-spectrum frequency-modulation technique enhances EMI performance, easing compliance with the CISPR 25 Class 5 standard.

The AL8891Q features two independent pins: pulse-width modulation (PWM) and analog dimming. PWM dimming, from 0.1 kHz to 2 kHz, is used for high-resolution dimming, and analog dimming is from 0.15 V to 2 V. The LED driver also features an internal soft-start function that gradually increases the inductor and switch current, minimizing potential overvoltage and overcurrent at the output. Protection features with fault reporting include thermal shutdown with auto-restart, input- and constant-current undervoltage lockout, cycle-by-cycle current limit, and output-open and short-circuit protection for the LED.

The AL8891Q is housed in a thermally enhanced TSSOP-16EP package with an operating temperature range of –40°C to 125°C. A standard-compliance version, AL8891, is available for industrial and commercial applications.

Diodes Inc.’s AL8891Q synchronous buck LED driver (Source: Diodes Inc.)

Diodes followed the AL8891Q launch with the 85-V automotive-compliant LED driver, which supports multiple topologies with fault reporting. The AL8866Q DC-switching LED driver-controller drives an external MOSFET and supports buck, boost, buck-boost, and single-ended primary-inductance converter topologies for high-power LED lighting systems. Applications include daytime running lights, high/low beams, fog lights, turn lights, and brake/stop lights.

A key feature is the wide input power supply range, from 4.7 V to 85 V, covering the common 12-V, 24-V, and 48-V battery power rails. This flexibility and multimode operation enable lighting designers to standardize on a single component type, Diodes said.

The AL8866Q has a fixed-frequency (400-kHz) peak current-mode control architecture and incorporates a spread-spectrum frequency-modulation technique to enhance EMI performance, which is compliant with the CISPR 25 Class 5 standard.

The LED driver supports analog and PWM dimming of the LED current and has a 1% reference tolerance, enabling better brightness control and matching between lamps. With an analog dimming range of over 100:1, it achieves ±12% output-current accuracy at low (20%) analog dimming levels, which makes it more precise than similar LED drivers available, according to the company. The PWM dimming (0.1 to 1 kHz) achieves a 100:1 dynamic range.

Protection features include a soft-start function to minimize potential overvoltage and overcurrent at the output and an open-drain fault output to indicate various fault conditions, including LED output overvoltage, LED output open/short, cycle-by-cycle overcurrent protection, sense-resistor and shorted-inductor/-diode detection, diode open-circuit, and thermal shutdown.

The AL8866Q is available in the SO-8EP and U-DFN3030-10 packages, with an operating temperature range of –40°C to 125°C. A standard-compliance version, AL8866, is available and suitable for industrial and commercial applications.

Diodes Inc.’s AL8866Q 85-V LED driver (Source: Diodes Inc.)

Nexperia launched an AEC-Q100–qualified, 12-channel, 40-V high-side LED driver that complies with the ASIL-B level for designing functionally safe automotive lighting, including tail, brake, signal, and in-cabin illumination applications. The NEX13120FPC-Q100 supports phase-shift PWM dimming to deliver better load transient and reduced EMI. Configurable analog dimming and PWM dimming can support various application requirements, including dynamic animation effects.

This LED driver offers high thermal performance thanks to its low dropout voltage of 600 mV at 100-mA current. This translates into a power savings of 15 mW per channel and a 5°C reduction in operating temperature, and the dropout voltage is 200 mV lower than similar competing LED drivers for the same test conditions, Nexperia said.

Independent channels on the NEX13120FPC-Q100 can deliver up to 100 mA of 8-bit programmable output current and can be connected in parallel for applications with higher-current requirements. Diagnostic features include LED open-circuit, short-to-ground, and single LED short-circuit detection. A configurable watchdog automatically places the device in a fail-safe state if connection to the CAN bus is lost.

The NEX13120FPC-Q100 can operate at a junction temperature range from –40°C to 150°C and is housed in a thermally enhanced 24-pin HTSSOP24 package. The NEX13120PC-Q100 is identical to the NEX13120FPC-Q100 and is suitable for applications without chip-level functional safety requirements.

Nexperia’s NEX13120FPC-Q100 high-side LED driver (Source: Nexperia)

Melexis introduced the latest addition to its smart state machine LED driver portfolio with the launch of the MLX80142 two-RGB-LED driver (six channels). It is also the first to incorporate the company’s MeLiBu 2.0 (Melexis Light Bus) high-speed communication interface for animated light applications. It supports up to 500 RGB LEDs per MeLiBu segment. This allows automotive OEMs to deploy more complex animated lighting systems without increasing design complexity or costs.

Building on the existing MeLiBu solutions, MeLiBu 2.0 extends the capabilities by enabling control of over 3,500 RGB LEDs (10,500 LEDs) throughout the interior and exterior of the vehicle and communication speeds up to 4 Mbits/s.

“The automotive industry’s lighting demands now far exceed the limitations of CAN and LIN networks, with manufacturers continually pushing for a greater number of high-speed dynamic RGB LEDs, as well as scene- and situation-based animated lighting that is activated in specific circumstances,” Melexis said. “MeLiBu uses a CAN-FD physical layer and UART communication to provide high-speed dynamic lighting applications that exceed the capabilities of conventional LIN and CAN automotive networks.”

Designed for smart RGB lighting, particularly in challenging areas where space is critical, the six-channel MLX80142 allows for the accurate and high-speed control of two RGB LEDs. The IC enables a cross-free PCB layout to support simple single-layer PCBs, as well as PCB-less over-molding assemblies like in-mold structural electronics.

Melexis said this approach streamlines integration and enables the development of highly compact designs with a total width of only a few millimeters, making the MLX80142 suited for lighting assemblies with limited space, such as those found in dashboards or door liners.

Also simplifying the deployment of sophisticated LED systems, the MLX80142 offers a code-free option, and as the first MeLiBu driver to feature a state-machine-based configuration, it streamlines the development process.

The LED driver features a direct-bonded internal bus to ensure that within setups linked in series, if one IC fails, it will not impact the functionality of the remaining LED drivers. It also meets ASIL-B safety-element-out-of-context compliance, which allows the IC to be used in vehicle safety lighting as well.

Lumissil Microsystems has expanded its automotive lighting portfolio with the IS32LT315x family of current-source linear LED drivers designed for automotive lighting applications and tail-/brake-light combinations. The family comprises the single-channel IS32LT3151A/B/C/D/E and triple-channel IS32LT3152A/B and IS32LT3153A/B/E.

The IS32LT315x family features enhanced thermal optimization and fault-reporting capabilities. These devices are differentiated by channel count, output current, and fault features to meet a range of applications.

They are available in configurations with either a single 450-mA channel or three 150-mA channels, with output current configured by an external resistor. Drivers, such as the IS32LT3151A/C and IS32LT3153A/B/E, include single LED short detection and support analog current adjustment for LED thermal management via an external NTC resistor or enable dual brightness levels using an external FET switch. The IS32LT3151B/D/E and IS32LT3152A/B drivers limit some features to prioritize compact packaging and cost savings, the company said.

Based on a high-side output topology, these drivers allow LED output strings to share common ground, reducing wiring and simplifying harness design. For high-power applications, optional thermal shunt/sharing resistors can be added to offload heat from the driver, reducing thermal stress when driving high-brightness LEDs.

All devices include open/short fault detection at the LED string level and can be configured for “one-fail-all-OFF” behavior upon fault detection. They are designed and qualified to AEC-Q100 standards for reliable operation in harsh automotive environments. The IS32LT3151C/D, IS32LT3152B, and IS32LT3153B are designed in accordance with ISO 26262 ASIL-B safety requirements.

The IS32LT3151B/D/E devices are available in compact SOP8-EP packages, while the other variants are available in eTSSOP packages with 14-, 16-, or 20-pin options. All devices support a wide operating voltage range from 4.5 V to 40 V and are AEC-Q100–qualified for Temperature Grade 1 (–40°C to 125°C), with junction temperature ratings up to 150°C.