Life Cycle Assessment and Design Optimisation of an Automotive Headlamp Control Unit

Henning Peitzmeier; Ahmet Burak Ertem; Christian Henke; Ansgar Traechtler; Arthur Seibel

doi:10.1007/978-3-032-09700-2_32

Life Cycle Assessment and Design Optimisation of an Automotive Headlamp Control Unit

Henning Peitzmeier^*
, Ahmet Burak Ertem
, Christian Henke
, Ansgar Traechtler
, Arthur Seibel

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Article in conference proceedings › Research › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

The increasing integration of electronic components in modern vehicles requires a comprehensive evaluation of their environmental impacts. While Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) of complete vehicles are well-documented in literature, there remains a significant research gap regarding detailed environmental data for specific electronic products within automotive systems. This article addresses this gap by presenting an in-depth LCA of an automotive headlamp Electronic Control Unit (ECU), examining environmental impacts across all life cycle stages from cradle to grave. Our research not only quantifies the carbon footprint of the headlamp ECU but also identifies key environmental hotspots within its life cycle. Based on literature findings, this work proposes and evaluates targeted design optimisations to reduce these impacts. The findings demonstrate that strategic modifications to materials and production technologies, as well as energy efficiency, could potentially reduce the ECU’s carbon footprint depending on the utilisation scenario by up to 71 %.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Product Lifecycle Management. PLM in the Age of Model-Based Engineering in Industry : 22nd IFIP WG 5.1 International Conference, PLM 2025, Revised Selected Papers
Editors	Fernando Mas, Carmelo Del Valle, Benoît Eynard, Louis Rivest, Abdelaziz Bouras
Number of pages	10
Publisher	Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland
Publication date	2026
Pages	326-335
ISBN (Print)	978-3-032-09699-9, 978-3-032-09702-6
ISBN (Electronic)	978-3-032-09700-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-09700-2_32
Publication status	Published - 2026
Event	22nd IFIP WG 5.1 International Conference on Product Lifecycle Management, PLM 2025 - Seville, Spain Duration: 06.07.2025 → 09.07.2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© IFIP International Federation for Information Processing 2026.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production

Research areas and keywords

Automotive
Electronic control unit
Life cycle assessment
Sustainable design
Engineering

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Information Systems and Management

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-032-09700-2_32

Cite this

Peitzmeier, H., Ertem, A. B., Henke, C., Traechtler, A., & Seibel, A. (2026). Life Cycle Assessment and Design Optimisation of an Automotive Headlamp Control Unit. In F. Mas, C. Del Valle, B. Eynard, L. Rivest, & A. Bouras (Eds.), Product Lifecycle Management. PLM in the Age of Model-Based Engineering in Industry : 22nd IFIP WG 5.1 International Conference, PLM 2025, Revised Selected Papers (pp. 326-335). (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology; Vol. 772 IFIPAICT). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-09700-2_32

Peitzmeier, Henning ; Ertem, Ahmet Burak ; Henke, Christian et al. / Life Cycle Assessment and Design Optimisation of an Automotive Headlamp Control Unit. Product Lifecycle Management. PLM in the Age of Model-Based Engineering in Industry : 22nd IFIP WG 5.1 International Conference, PLM 2025, Revised Selected Papers. editor / Fernando Mas ; Carmelo Del Valle ; Benoît Eynard ; Louis Rivest ; Abdelaziz Bouras. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland, 2026. pp. 326-335 (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology).

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Peitzmeier, H, Ertem, AB, Henke, C, Traechtler, A & Seibel, A 2026, Life Cycle Assessment and Design Optimisation of an Automotive Headlamp Control Unit. in F Mas, C Del Valle, B Eynard, L Rivest & A Bouras (eds), Product Lifecycle Management. PLM in the Age of Model-Based Engineering in Industry : 22nd IFIP WG 5.1 International Conference, PLM 2025, Revised Selected Papers. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol. 772 IFIPAICT, Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland, pp. 326-335, 22nd IFIP WG 5.1 International Conference on Product Lifecycle Management, PLM 2025, Seville, Spain, 06.07.25. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-09700-2_32

Life Cycle Assessment and Design Optimisation of an Automotive Headlamp Control Unit. / Peitzmeier, Henning; Ertem, Ahmet Burak; Henke, Christian et al.
Product Lifecycle Management. PLM in the Age of Model-Based Engineering in Industry : 22nd IFIP WG 5.1 International Conference, PLM 2025, Revised Selected Papers. ed. / Fernando Mas; Carmelo Del Valle; Benoît Eynard; Louis Rivest; Abdelaziz Bouras. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland, 2026. p. 326-335 (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology; Vol. 772 IFIPAICT).

Research output: Contributions to collected editions/works › Article in conference proceedings › Research › peer-review

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AU - Peitzmeier, Henning

AU - Ertem, Ahmet Burak

AU - Henke, Christian

AU - Traechtler, Ansgar

AU - Seibel, Arthur

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © IFIP International Federation for Information Processing 2026.

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - The increasing integration of electronic components in modern vehicles requires a comprehensive evaluation of their environmental impacts. While Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) of complete vehicles are well-documented in literature, there remains a significant research gap regarding detailed environmental data for specific electronic products within automotive systems. This article addresses this gap by presenting an in-depth LCA of an automotive headlamp Electronic Control Unit (ECU), examining environmental impacts across all life cycle stages from cradle to grave. Our research not only quantifies the carbon footprint of the headlamp ECU but also identifies key environmental hotspots within its life cycle. Based on literature findings, this work proposes and evaluates targeted design optimisations to reduce these impacts. The findings demonstrate that strategic modifications to materials and production technologies, as well as energy efficiency, could potentially reduce the ECU’s carbon footprint depending on the utilisation scenario by up to 71 %.

AB - The increasing integration of electronic components in modern vehicles requires a comprehensive evaluation of their environmental impacts. While Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) of complete vehicles are well-documented in literature, there remains a significant research gap regarding detailed environmental data for specific electronic products within automotive systems. This article addresses this gap by presenting an in-depth LCA of an automotive headlamp Electronic Control Unit (ECU), examining environmental impacts across all life cycle stages from cradle to grave. Our research not only quantifies the carbon footprint of the headlamp ECU but also identifies key environmental hotspots within its life cycle. Based on literature findings, this work proposes and evaluates targeted design optimisations to reduce these impacts. The findings demonstrate that strategic modifications to materials and production technologies, as well as energy efficiency, could potentially reduce the ECU’s carbon footprint depending on the utilisation scenario by up to 71 %.

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KW - Sustainable design

KW - Engineering

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M3 - Article in conference proceedings

AN - SCOPUS:105023505726

SN - 978-3-032-09699-9

SN - 978-3-032-09702-6

T3 - IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology

SP - 326

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BT - Product Lifecycle Management. PLM in the Age of Model-Based Engineering in Industry

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A2 - Bouras, Abdelaziz

PB - Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland

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Peitzmeier H, Ertem AB, Henke C, Traechtler A, Seibel A. Life Cycle Assessment and Design Optimisation of an Automotive Headlamp Control Unit. In Mas F, Del Valle C, Eynard B, Rivest L, Bouras A, editors, Product Lifecycle Management. PLM in the Age of Model-Based Engineering in Industry : 22nd IFIP WG 5.1 International Conference, PLM 2025, Revised Selected Papers. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland. 2026. p. 326-335. (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology). doi: 10.1007/978-3-032-09700-2_32