The Hella LEDayFlex III daytime running lights. Modular LED strips reshape front-end design

Hella LEDayFlex III daytime running lights bundle up to eight LED modules into slim, flexible strips for modern front-end designs on passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. The Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA share (ISIN DE000A13SX22) benefits from this product line.

The Hella LEDayFlex III daytime running lights catch the eye first as two razor-thin LED chains tracing the bumper like cold white stitches in plastic. A test engineer at Hella, Jana Richter, wipes road dust off one module with her thumb and the light snaps on instantly.

Modular LED strips for OEMs

Hella LEDayFlex III is a modular daytime running light system built from individual LED modules that OEMs can arrange freely into strips or shapes on a vehicle front. Each module integrates optics, electronics and housing in a compact form for easy mounting in bumper or grille areas. The system targets passenger cars and light commercial vehicles from volume manufacturers and niche brands that want distinctive light signatures without fully bespoke headlamp units.

According to Hella, a typical LEDayFlex III chain can contain up to eight modules per side, wired to a common driver unit and controlled via the vehicle’s body control electronics. The design supports 12 V on passenger cars and 24 V electrical systems on some vans, making the kit suitable across several platform families. Light output reaches the legally required intensity for daytime running lights in key regions such as the EU and many other ECE markets while maintaining a slim profile only a few centimeters high.

Homologated safety and efficiency

The LEDayFlex III system is homologated as a daytime running light under relevant ECE regulations, with integrated electronics ensuring that intensity and distribution comply with road safety rules. Engineers designed the optics so that the illuminated chain appears as a continuous band rather than separate dots, supporting clear recognition of the vehicle during daylight. This continuous effect is achieved through precisely calculated lenses and diffuser structures over each LED position.

The LEDs in LEDayFlex III operate with typical automotive-grade efficiency figures, drawing only a fraction of the power required for older halogen solutions while providing a cooler color temperature often perceived as crisp white. Reduced energy consumption eases alternator load and supports CO? reduction targets in fleet homologations, particularly for small cars where every watt counts. The modules are specified for long service life over typical vehicle lifetimes, minimizing warranty risk for carmakers using the system on high-volume platforms.

Design freedom for front signatures

One of the selling points of LEDayFlex III is design freedom for stylists like Hella customer teams at smaller OEMs that lack in-house lighting departments. The modules can be positioned horizontally, vertically or in curves around inlets and body lines, as long as legal spacing and aiming rules are respected. This flexibility has led to implementations where the LED chain mirrors a brand’s emblem shape or traces a characteristic styling cue on the bumper.

Hella advertises LEDayFlex III as part of a kit including brackets, wiring harnesses and control units tailored to vehicle platforms. The system can be combined with other Hella front lighting like fog lamps or auxiliary lights, particularly in light commercial vehicles and special-purpose conversions. According to product manager Markus Lehmann, the goal is to give converters and niche manufacturers a catalog solution that produces a modern light signature without going into full custom headlamp tooling, which can be expensive.

Installation and integration in practice

In workshop tests reported by Hella, installation of LEDayFlex III typically involves cutting openings in bumper trim and securing the modules with supplied brackets and screws, followed by routing the harness to the front-end module area. The system is designed so that mechanics can align the modules accurately; once the screws are tightened, the chain sits flush, and the plastic lens surface feels smooth under a fingertip. Workshop guidance covers correct wiring so that the lights switch on automatically with ignition and dim or switch off when low beams are engaged, depending on national regulation.

Professional installers often appreciate that LEDayFlex III uses robust automotive connectors and sealed housings, reducing the risk of corrosion or water ingress in daily use. The modules are tested for temperature cycles, vibration and stone chip impacts, typical stresses on the front of a vehicle at highway speeds. Hella emphasizes that these tests follow automotive standards used for OEM components, giving fleet managers more confidence than generic aftermarket light strips.

Position in Hella’s product portfolio

Within Hella’s broad lighting portfolio, LEDayFlex III sits as a flexible solution between fully integrated headlamp systems and simple individual daytime running lamps. Forvia, the parent group, highlights modular lighting as a growth area as it supports diverse vehicle architectures, especially for electric and derivative models that share body structures but need distinct faces. On Hella’s product pages, LEDayFlex III appears alongside other daytime running light offerings, fog lamps and auxiliary lights aimed at passenger cars and light commercial segments.

The product does not target consumers directly for retail purchase as strongly as some Hella accessory lights; instead, it mainly appears in OEM and professional conversion catalogs, although some specialized distributors list kits for body shops. This positioning reflects Hella’s strategy of serving both manufacturer programs and selected aftermarket channels with the same technology base, thus spreading development costs across multiple customers.

Market relevance and stock context

For investors, LEDayFlex III is one illustration of how Hella leverages modular technology and catalog-based engineering to win programs with smaller carmakers and converters that do not commission bespoke lighting systems. The product supports revenue in the automotive lighting segment and contributes to the visibility of Hella as a technology supplier within the Forvia group.

On Xetra, Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA stock trades in euro and reflects expectations for continued demand in advanced lighting, including modular daytime running light solutions such as LEDayFlex III.

Key facts on Hella LEDayFlex III

• Product: Hella LEDayFlex III daytime running lights
• Manufacturer: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
• Category: Classic/Longseller automotive lighting
• Market launch: Around the mid-2010s, with ongoing catalog presence
• MSRP / Price: Typically sold as kits through OEM and professional channels; pricing varies by configuration and market
• Availability: Available to vehicle manufacturers, converters and selected professional distributors in ECE markets
• Target group: Automotive OEMs, light commercial vehicle converters, fleet managers seeking modern daytime running light signatures
• Highlight / USP: Modular LED chain allowing flexible arrangement of daytime running lights within bumper and grille designs