The Hella LEDayFlex II daytime running lights. Flexible light strips for modular front designs

The Hella LEDayFlex II daytime running lights sit like a row of icy pearls along the bumper, each LED a crisp point of white against dark plastic. On a test vehicle in Lippstadt, product manager Markus Krampe runs his fingers over the rubberized carrier, feeling how the strip flexes along a tight curve.

Modular LED strips for DRL

Hella LEDayFlex II is a modular LED daytime running light system designed for integration into both passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, using 5 to 8 high-power LEDs per strip depending on configuration. Each module is arranged on a flexible carrier that can be bent to follow the contour of a front bumper or grille, with a specified minimum bending radius defined in the installation manual. The system is engineered to meet ECE R87 approval for daytime running lights in European markets, and is available in versions suitable for both 12 V and 24 V electrical systems.

According to Hella’s official product documentation, LEDayFlex modules are supplied as a complete set including LED light chains, control units, brackets, and connection cables, allowing OEMs and retrofit installers to implement the system without sourcing separate components. The modules feature lens optics tuned for homogeneous light distribution, so that individual LED points blend into a smooth strip when viewed from normal road distances. Each LED module is potted to protect against moisture and vibration, contributing to the IP rating specified for automotive exterior lighting components.

Design freedom for OEMs

Where older, rigid daytime running light modules forced designers into straight, rectangular apertures, LEDayFlex II’s flexible carrier lets exterior designers draw light signatures that follow body lines or create geometric patterns. In an engineering note shared by Hella, designers are shown shaping the strip around a circular fog lamp housing to create a ring-like daytime running light outline. Hella specifically promotes the system as enabling differentiation of vehicle front designs without requiring bespoke headlamp tooling for each model, because the daytime running light signature can be separated into the bumper area.

CEO Michel Favre of parent group Forvia has repeatedly highlighted modular lighting technologies as an area where the combined group sees margin potential, because the same base module can be supplied to multiple OEMs with customization at the design level rather than at the core hardware level. In investor presentations, Hella’s lighting division is described as focusing on LED technologies and electronic control units, with daytime running lights and front lighting modules forming part of the core portfolio that supports orders from European, Asian, and North American manufacturers. LEDayFlex II sits in this strategy as a mid-complexity product: more sophisticated than simple bulb-based DRL kits, but less complex than full matrix headlamps.

Technical specs and installation

In technical data sheets, Hella specifies the LEDayFlex II modules with nominal operating voltage matching standard automotive systems, using integrated control units to ensure stable current for the high-power LEDs and to handle dimming or switching behaviors. Installers must mount the strips at a defined height and angle to comply with ECE R87 regulations, which govern placement and luminous intensity of daytime running lights on passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. The modules are typically installed in pairs, one strip on each side of the front, with optional additional segments for specific styling effects.

Retrofit versions of LEDayFlex II are sold through aftermarket channels and professional workshop suppliers, including systems marketed by Hella Gutmann for workshops that want to offer DRL upgrades alongside diagnostics and headlamp alignment services. On a workshop shelf, the packaging lists key features in compact print: flexible LED chain, approved daytime running light, plug-in harness with clear color coding. The instruction manual warns against cutting or extending the chain beyond the approved number of LEDs, which could compromise both approval and thermal management. Hella recommends professional installation for retrofit applications, to ensure both electrical safety and regulatory compliance.

While the core LEDayFlex II modules are primarily targeted at OEM integration and professional retrofits, some related LED day light chains and similar systems appear in retail channels under Hella branding in certain European markets, often sold as headlamp accessories rather than pure DRL kits. These usually carry clear notes on whether they are ECE-approved daytime running lights or decorative position lights, which determines how they can be legally used in road traffic. For private car owners, the tactile appeal of the product is evident: the strip flexes in the hand yet feels robust, and the cold white light when powered on contrasts sharply with halogen headlamps.

Market role and stock context

In the broader market, modular daytime running light systems like LEDayFlex II contribute to Hella’s lighting segment revenues, which Forvia breaks out as part of its Safety, Lighting & Cockpit division in financial reporting. While LEDayFlex II is only one product line among many – including full LED headlamps, rear combination lamps, and interior lighting – the demand for customizable, energy-efficient front signatures aligns with the trend of car makers using lighting as a brand identifier. For investors, the Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA share (ISIN DE000A13SX22) trades in Frankfurt, and the performance of the lighting portfolio, including systems such as LEDayFlex II, forms one component of how the market prices the stock.