From 1970 to 2020, automotive styling has been highly influenced by lighting innovations, with reciprocal propulsion from the fields of optics, materials, thermics, electronics, simulation, testing, light sources, and regulations. The ongoing results: brand and model family design identity, with automakers using light shapes and signature to stand out from their competitors and create coherence in their product ranges.
Lighting innovations are often devised achieve a new differentiation in appearance—think of projector optics and complex-reflector/clear-lens headlamps, plastic rather than glass headlight lenses, LEDs and light guides, dynamic turn signals, CHMSLs, 3D signal lights, light bar optics, OLEDs, new digital lights and displays; the list goes on and on.
We are entering another great period of new lighting innovation, with dynamics and digital lights to communicate to the equipped driver, to other drivers, to VRUs, and to the environment.
Lighting will be a central focus at both ends of the car: with ADB and communication up front, and in the rear with communication and displays.
This month’s DVN Report, the 150th report of DVN, published today, showcases lightstyle evolution from the the last five decades and looks at trends toward the future and the challenges to succeed with new lighting functions.
And we’re hard at work on a very important new study to be published soon. Six great experts have been making tens of interviews for it, and we’re sure it will be of great use to all DVN members, so stay tuned.
Keep well,