Just in the last five years, we’ve seen so many innovations in car lighting that it can legitimately be called a rolling revolution: LEDs are replacing HID and halogen, laser beams are arriving, traditional low/high beams are giving way to ADB, and matrix beams are replacing movable-component dynamic systems. Each innovation calls for ever more engineering resources—which often supplement rather than replacing the existing technologies. And this trend is only accelerating, not only because of the rising pace of technological innovation but because automakers are speeding up their time-to-market for new and redesigned models as they grapple for dominance in global markets. Lighting suppliers are well advised to prepare themselves for these new challenges if they don’t want to be caught flat-footed and find themselves unable to compete for want of engineering resources.
This week’s In-depth focuses on the organisation of a research and development capacity to train engineers in the field of ELS, Embedded Lighting Systems.
Have a look at it in and you’ll be prepared to talk at VISION with responsible parties from three universities in charge of this type of training. They will make a special presentation to help you to better understand what’s needed and what’s offered.
The acceleration of new automotive lighting technologies represents a fantastic opportunity for the lighting community to create huge added value in service to roadway safety, but also a great challenge concerning resources. The training is becoming the key point to succeed. Are automaker purchasers and engineering managers, lighting suppliers’ R&D and project managers prepared for such challenge? Are you?
Sincerely yours
Hector Fratty
DVN General Editor