South Korea’s leading auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis Co. and Initz Co., a subsidiary of SK Chemicals Co., have developed a solution to a common headache for drivers: foggy headlights.

The two companies said Sunday they have released a low-outgassing material that prevents the inside of the headlight housing from fogging up. The new material took a year and a half to develop, the companies said.

The plastic that makes up headlights produces gas that covers the inner layers over time, giving them a cloudy look. This fogginess impairs visibility when driving at night or in bad weather, posing a significant safety threat.

Hyundai Mobis this month already started applying the new material to all its headlamps, which are also 20 percent lighter than previous headlights.

Headlamps are one of Hyundai Mobis’ key exports that have generated more than $3.4 billion for the company since 2010. It plans to develop more new materials for headlamps, such as different colored headlights and special coating to further bolster its headlamp sales.

Initz, a joint venture between SK Chemicals and Japan’s Teijin Chemicals Ltd., developed the world’s first chlorine-free PPS technology in 2013.

“We’ve leveraged our chlorine-free PPS technology to solve the headlamp haze problem,” said an Initz official. “We plan to continue developing new materials targeting the global auto parts market.”

By Kang Doo-soon and Kim Hyo-jin

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]