This year’s IAA auto show , was one of the most interesting show, presenting many show and concept cars. This report presents DVN’s view of the most significant lighting-related presentations at the IAA.
For a better understanding, we ranked the unveiled cars in 3 categories:
– Production cars
Cars unveiled at IAA and starting in production in 2013.
The main production cars unveiled at IAA, and presented in the report, are Audi A3 Cabrio , BMW i-3, X5, and 4-Series, Cadillac ATS , Honda Civic Tourer, Mazda 3, Mercedes-Benz GLA and S-Class, Peugeot 308, Nissan X-Trail, Porsche 918, and Skoda Yeti.
– Show cars
Cars close production, unveiled to get the first feedback of media and visitors. Production is planned in less than 18 months.
The main show cars unveiled at IAA, and presented in the report are BMW i8, Citroen Citroen Cactus and DS Rubis, Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe, Ford S-Max, Jaguar C-X17, Kia Niro, Renault Initiale Paris, Suzuki iv.4.
– Concept cars
Dream cars made to highlight the future identity of the brand. The main concept cars unveiled at IAA, and presented in the report are Audi Quattro and Nanuk, Cadillac Elmiraj, Ford Vignale, Infiniti Q30, Opel Monza, and Volvo Coupe Concept.
The main takeaway points of DVN for this 2013 IAA are:
1) More than the former shows, cars presented at this year’s IAA prove there is room for new lighting technologies. , thanks to the unlimited styling and appearance differentiation. Audi are still the primary car maker to push forward lighting as a technological differentiation factor.
2) In front lighting, • HID headlamps are no longer present on concept cars—even those close to production. Most of the exhibited concept car headlamps would be impossible to design with HID or Halogen.
• DRL styling continues to be used as a strong lever for design identity and brand signature.
• Light source areas are becoming smaller with either an appearance of jewels, with nontraditional shapes, and “blocky” appearances, or using small reflectors as Quattro, Initiale, e-Golf and probably others.
• Some OEMs are searching a specific design as Audi and now Porsche and some others are defining standard modules as Mercedes-Benz with the last new LED models, BMW with their 2 standards (former and new 7 Series) and probably some generalists as Ford and Peugeot.
3) In rear lighting
• Rear light are totally focused to styling appearance and designers seek to give special aspects like theater scenes and strong brand-identity signatures.
• Light bars with a perfect homogeneity are more and more used in the concept cars
• 3D/ depth-effects are a strong new direction for rear lights.
• Homogeneously-lit surfaces are increasingly used rather than dotty light sources.
• Sequential turn signals as Audi’s A8 are found on several other-brand show cars close to production.
4) More and more ADAS features portend the arrival of driveless cars or semi-autonomous cars. Front lighting in Production cars
Mercedes-Benz GLA | BMW i3 | Peugeot 308 |
Front lighting in Show cars
BMW i8 | Citroen DS Rubis | Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe |
Front lighting in Concept cars
Audi Nanuk | Opel Monza | Volvo Coupe Concept |
Rear lighting on Production cars
BMW i-3 | Mercedes-Benz GLA | Peugeot 308 |
Rear lighting in Show cars
Citroen Cactus | Mercedes S-Class Coupe | Lexus LF-NX |
Rear lighting in Concept cars
Cadillac Elmiraj | Jaguar C-X17 | Renault Latitude Paris |
At the end of the report, we will discover interviews of:
– Cesar Muntada, Head of Audi design Exterior Lighting
– Wolgang Huhn, Head of Light and Vision at Audi
– Ingolf Schneider, head of Lighting Systems at Opel
– Hans-Theo Dorissen, VP, Head of R&D at Hella Lighting
– Rainer Neumann, VP, Head of R&D at Varroc Lighting
– Eric Moisy, Designer at Valeo