Summary In this study, a laser headlight driving controller (LHDC) using the controller area network (CAN)‐bus communication system was developed and implemented for vehicle headlight applications. To observe temperature variations that influence the forward‐bias voltage and optical power of laser diodes, the laser diode was placed in an ambient temperature‐testing chamber to measure the electro‐optic characteristics and calculate the electro‐optic conversion efficiencies. The optical power and conversion efficiency values obtained at different temperatures (from negative to positive temperatures) when optical power adjustment was executed using analog and pulse‐width modulation technologies were compared. Moreover, a human‐machine operating interface was developed using the LabVIEW software. Therefore, the LHDC and laser optical power can be controlled using a computer through the CAN‐bus communication system to control the LHDC and monitor it.

In this study, a laser headlight electrical system was developed and implemented to measure and compare the electro-optic characteristics of the blue-beam laser diodes (BBLDs). To observe different temperatures (from negative to positive temperatures) that cause optical output power (OOP) and electrical power variations of the BBLDs, BBLDs were placed in an ambient temperature testing chamber, and the electro-optic characteristics of the BBLDs were measured to estimate the electro-optic conversion efficiencies. The different OOPs and electro-optic conversion efficiencies at different temperatures can be obtained when OOP adjustment was performed by average current and low-frequency pulse-duty cycle modulation technologies. Moreover, this study developed a human–machine interface using the LabVIEW software; therefore, the laser headlight electrical system can be controlled and monitored by a computer with the controller area network (CAN) bus communication. Finally, the prototype of the laser headlight electrical system was achieved, and three BBLDs were driven; furthermore, the white light of the headlight can be produced by mixing blue laser beams with a yellow fluorescence ceramic wafer.