FORVIA HELLA is a listed, internationally positioned automotive supplier. As a company of the FORVIA Group, FORVIA HELLA stands for high performance lighting technology and vehicle electronics and, with the Lifecycle Solutions Business Group, also covers a broad service and product portfolio for the spare parts and workshop business as well as for manufacturers of special vehicles.
In the bus segment, FORVIA HELLA is among the world’s leading providers of lighting. FORVIA HELLA offers a wide standard range with customized lighting and electronics solutions for city and long distance coaches – with the aim of actively shaping the mobility of tomorrow: from electrification, to comfort and safety, through to consistent brand differentiation.
Powering the Next Generation of Buses — Integrated Lighting, Electronics, and Sensing by FORVIA HELLA
Electrification, range targets, and pressure on costs and weight are visibly transforming the bus market. At the same time, requirements for safety and software are rising.
Operators and OEMs also expect clear brand differentiation through distinctive design. And when traveling, interior comfort matters – for drivers as well as passengers. With integrated solutions in lighting technology, vehicle electronics, and sensing, FORVIA HELLA helps bus platforms turn this transformation into competitive advantages: through intelligent energy management, efficient, aerodynamically optimized LED lighting systems, connected sensing, for a consistent, brand‑defining light signature – inside and out.
Integrated solutions for modern bus platforms
FORVIA HELLA integrates lighting, electronics, and sensing to make bus platforms more efficient, safer, and future‑ready. At the core is intelligent energy management: the 24‑volt Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) delivers precise energy control for 24‑V vehicles. Paired with the CAN/LIN Micro Gateway, it seamlessly links energy management and vehicle control, simplifies component integration, and modernizes existing E/E architectures.
Complementing this, FORVIA HELLA’s thermal management for electric off‑highway applications – the Media Pump MPx and eVA – helps safeguard performance and service life of batteries, e‑motors, and power electronics while remaining space‑saving, safe, and scalable. MPx features an innovative cooling concept with blockage detection, dry‑run protection, and temperature and current monitoring; its power range is currently 200 W, with up to 400 W planned, and start of production is targeted for autumn 2026.
Beyond that, aerodynamically optimized, energy‑efficient LED headlamps and weight‑ and wiring‑reduced designs cut consumption and support range targets for city and long‑distance buses.
Safety in electrified buses is further enhanced by AVAS, which automatically emits an acoustic warning based on speed and direction of travel.
Emotional lighting design — from the front and rear to interior
FORVIA HELLA combines a broad standard portfolio with flexible customization to create a consistent brand presence inside and out. HELLA 90‑mm modules deliver multiple front‑lighting functions – low beam, high beam, fog, turn indicator, DRL, and position light – with just two headlamp modules, offering high functional density in compact dimensions for virtually any vehicle configuration. The modular concept maximizes flexibility and remains future‑proof: existing halogen modules can be upgraded to efficient, high‑output LED technology. FORVIA HELLA also develops fully bespoke lighting solutions from advanced engineering to series production. Where standardization and individuality must align, modular headlamp concepts provide the bridge: standard modules such as LEDayFlex III are tailored to the desired brand look via customer‑specific frames. The result is a unified light signature that continues to the rear — for example, with the modular, scalable 24‑V full‑LED tail lamp, enhancing visibility and safety across all bus types. Inside, RGB ambient lighting amplifies brand impact and passenger comfort, benefits that grow with increasing automation and longer journeys – creating a holistic lighting experience along the entire journey.
FORVIA HELLA electronics expertise for greater comfort and safety on the move
A coordinated interplay of weather/interior sensing and light communication ensures robust safety and intuitive operation in both urban and interurban use. The SHAKE sensor detects body and sound waves, including frequency and duration, and measures water film thickness down to 0.1 mm to identify wet roads precisely and feed driver‑assistance systems — enabling timely warnings up to targeted aquaplaning prevention. Rain/light sensors (RLS) act as central environmental sensors, providing weather‑relevant data for safety, comfort, and the availability of additional assistance functions. In the Humidity‑Measurement variant, they continuously track humidity and dew point at the windshield for predictive climate control, reliable anti‑fogging, clear visibility, and higher driving comfort.
FORVIA HELLA brings technology leadership and system integration together to help bus OEMs accelerate time‑to‑market, extend range, and deliver safer, more distinctive vehicles. From intelligent energy management and thermal solutions to modular lighting platforms and advanced sensing, our portfolio scales across models and lifecycles to create measurable value. The result is a coherent brand experience inside and out, reliable performance in daily operation, and a clear path to future‑ready bus platforms.
Key FORVIA HELLA Products
- 24 V Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS): precise energy management for accurate state of charge and system stability
- CAN/LIN Micro Gateway (optimized for 24 V IBS): bidirectional conversion of CAN/LIN signals to streamline integration and modernize E/E architectures
- AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System): speed and direction dependent acoustic warning to enhance safety at low speeds
- Integrated sensing and electronics (e.g., rain/light sensors): improved safety, comfort, and system availability through robust environmental data
- LED front lighting systems: precise light distribution, energy efficient, and aerodynamically optimized for extended range
- HELLA 90 mm modules: high functional density in compact housings, modular architecture, upgradeable from halogen to LED
- 24 V full LED rear lamp: modular, scalable solution for city and long distance buses with high visibility and robust design
- LEDayFlex III and SlimLine modules: standardized modules adaptable via customer specific frames for brand distinctive signatures
- RGB ambient lighting: flexible light guides, modular deployment, adaptable to any contour and complex surface geometry
- Customized headlamps and rear light signatures: end to end realization from concept to series production for unique brand identities
- Signature and communication lighting: clear, harmonious light signatures for improved vehicle recognition and state communication
- Thermal management for electric off highway (eVA and Media Pump MPx): performance and service life safeguarding for batteries, e motors, and power electronics; space saving, safe, and scalable; MPx with innovative cooling, blockage detection, dry run protection, temperature and current monitoring; 200 W today, up to 400 W planned; SOP from autumn 2025
- Outlook – CAN based lighting systems (e.g., “Future Lighting”): fewer cables, more functions; digital lighting and smart controllers enable lighter, more efficient, and more connected next generation buses
- Outlook – rain/light sensors for steep windscreens with humidity option: added interior humidity measurement for fog free visibility and predictive climate control
