In the quest for improved road safety and autonomous vehicle functionality, enhancing Lidar signal reflection has become a critical area of focus. At the 2016 Focus On Coatings Under Study conference, Ford challenged their coatings supply chain to improve both solar and Lidar reflectivity of future production colors. This blog post explores a case study that evaluates the impact of replacing traditional carbon black with functional black pigments in various coating layers on Lidar signal response.
Traditional carbon blacks strongly absorb in Lidar’s near-infrared (NIR) signal range, which can negatively impact object detection and safety within future autonomous vehicle environments. The study aimed to address this issue by exploring the potential of functional black pigments to improve Lidar signal reflection.
The study focused on three colors: Burgundy Velvet, Blue Jeans Metallic, and Magnetic. The selection criteria included colors with less than 20% Total Solar Reflectance (TSR), varied hues and lightness, and varied pigment types and loadings.
The study evaluated the impact of replacing traditional carbon black with functional black pigments in various coating layers. The functional black pigments used in the study included Paliogen® Black L 0086, Lumogen® Black K 0087, and Sicopal® Black L 0095.
The results showed that replacing traditional carbon black with functional black pigments significantly improved Lidar signal reflection. The improvement was particularly notable in the Burgundy Velvet color, where total Lidar reflection doubled, and TSR more than doubled, exceeding the 20% TSR CAFE target.
Moreover, the use of functional black pigments resulted in a 20°F/15% reduction in heat build-up, as confirmed by solar heat lamp evaluation. The color match goal was also very good, with ∆E’ = 0.8 for K0087 and 1.9 for L0086, even without altering non-black pigment ratios at the same P/B.
In conclusion, the study demonstrates the potential of functional black pigments to improve Lidar signal reflection, enhancing object detection and safety within future autonomous vehicle environments. By replacing traditional carbon blacks with functional black pigments, we can make significant strides in improving road safety and facilitating the development of autonomous vehicles.
To learn more about the study and the potential of functional black pigments, please refer to the full case study available.
