Luminous Fibers Enter Automotive Interiors: What Makes Taihe New Material’s First-Generation Product Different from Traditional Ambient Lighting

On September 23, Taihe New Material stated during an institutional research meeting that its first-generation luminous fiber product has been completed and is currently undergoing trials with downstream customers. Automotive interiors are expected to be the fastest application scenario to reach the market this year. The company’s direct customers are interior suppliers, while technical discussions with vehicle manufacturers are also underway.

Four Technical Routes for Automotive Interior Lighting: Luminous Fibers Take the Textile Route

At present, there are roughly four technical routes for automotive interior components that provide a lighting effect.

LED + light guide plates or light guides are the mainstream approach. LEDs are installed along the edge of the dashboard or other interior components, and the light is transmitted to the surface through a light guide plate. Traditional ambient lighting generally follows this route. EL (electroluminescent) films are thin-film lighting components that can be directly attached to the surface of interior parts. OLED panels are panel-based solutions that can provide large-area illumination, although their flexibility is relatively limited. Taihe New Material is taking the fourth route: integrating the electronic lighting components directly into fibers, making the fiber itself the lighting unit.

The brand of Taihe New Material’s subsidiary Yantai Jingwei Intelligent Technology is LITME. According to information published on its official website, the products use a micron-scale confined coating process to place lighting components inside the fibers. The luminous fibers can be directly used for weaving, knitting, embroidery and sewing. They are currently available in seven luminous colors and two brightness levels, while featuring a small diameter, good flexibility and water-wash resistance.

In the first three technical routes, the light source and the interior component are separate — the light source is installed behind the fabric or attached to the surface. The difference with luminous fibers is that the textile itself becomes the light-emitting surface. The fibers can be directly woven into seat covers, door-panel upholstery fabrics and headliners without requiring an additional light source behind the material.

Why Did a Production Line Launched in 2022 Only Reach Automotive Interiors in 2026?

Taihe New Material’s production line for luminous fibers began operation in January 2022, but the company only announced the application’s entry into automotive interiors this year. The gap is not necessarily due to immature technology, but largely reflects the vehicle-grade validation process.

Using textiles in automotive interiors is different from using them in the apparel industry. Luminous fibers contain electronic components in addition to conventional textile materials, meaning they need to undergo additional reliability testing. These tests can include high- and low-temperature cycling, damp-heat aging, vibration, light aging and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).

In the past, textile suppliers were mainly responsible for parameters such as color consistency and physical properties. With luminous fibers, they also need to address the reliability requirements associated with electronic components.

There is also the vehicle manufacturer’s product approval process. From technical discussions and sample validation to nomination and then SOP (Start of Production), the process can take two years or more. For new materials entering automotive applications, Taihe New Material’s timeline from production in 2022 to automotive application in 2026 is within the normal development cycle.

What Does This Mean for Tier 1 Suppliers?

The introduction of luminous fibers into automotive interiors is not simply a matter of replacing conventional fabric for seat and door-panel suppliers.

The traditional process is generally: textile manufacturer produces the fabric → interior supplier performs the covering and assembly → vehicle manufacturer installs the component. With luminous fiber solutions, the fabric itself contains powered lighting units. This means that the covering and assembly processes used by interior suppliers may need to be modified. The vehicle’s wiring architecture also needs to be considered. Since luminous fibers require a power supply, questions such as how connectors are arranged and how wiring is routed become new engineering considerations.

Another application worth watching is self-luminous warning signage. Taihe New Material has noted that many warning signs inside vehicles currently rely on passive illumination and become visible only when exposed to an external light source. Luminous fibers could be used to create self-luminous signs that remain visible under conditions such as low-voltage power interruption or poor visibility inside the vehicle. If this application can be successfully developed and adopted, luminous fibers could move beyond decorative interior components and potentially become part of vehicle safety-related applications.