Regulation-Compliant Automotive Lighting Innovations

Vehicle signal lights that comply with on-road vehicle signal light requirements and can be controlled to meet lighting requirements for various vehicle light positions while also providing flexibility for lighting applications in the off-road environment. The lights use a plurality of RGB LEDs behind a clear lens. A controller monitors vehicle conditions and sends lighting commands to activate one or more LEDs based on the conditions. This allows a single light fixture to meet different lighting requirements by controlling the LED colors.

Emergency vehicle lighting system that adapts the warning lights and scene lights to maintain high conspicuity while minimizing annoyance at the scene. The system uses sensors to detect conditions in the zones around the vehicle and adjusts the light output of the corresponding lights accordingly. This allows automated optimization of lighting levels based on factors like sunlight, obstructions, and scene activity.

Controlling an LED lighting system in autonomous vehicles to provide a visible indication of autonomous mode. When the vehicle is in autonomous mode, cyan LEDs are activated in separate groups of cyan-amber, cyan-red/amber, and pure cyan LEDs. This creates a distinct cyan light when the vehicle is autonomous without obscuring normal indicators like headlights, turn signals, etc.

Customizing vehicle components like lights while ensuring compliance with local rules and regulations. The system allows users to customize vehicle light behaviors through a UI. It checks the vehicle location to determine applicable rules and then verifies customization parameters against those rules. If compliant, the customization is allowed. If not, the user is alerted, or the customization is adjusted.

Efficient lighting for autonomous vehicles that adapts the external lighting based on the vehicle's automated mode and position relative to other vehicles. The lighting system has a controller that receives the automated mode and environment location. It modifies the exterior lighting condition based on that information. This reduces energy consumption by only illuminating necessary lights in autonomous driving scenarios where full headlights or taillights may not be needed.

Vehicle lamp controller that adjusts the light distribution of headlights based on vehicle steering angle and road type to improve visibility and reduce driver discomfort. The controller calculates a target light direction based on vehicle speed, steering angle, and road type (curved vs straight). It gradually shifts the light beam from the initial distribution towards the travel direction when the steering angle exceeds thresholds specific to curved vs straight roads. This prevents excessive shifts on straight roads and ensures optimal light coverage on curved roads.

Glare-free high beam headlight control for vehicles that prevents blinding other vehicles without compromising illumination. It uses information about the road course and other vehicle positions to set a safety distance for the headlights. By excluding an envelope area around other vehicles, it prevents glare without needing complex sensors or maps. The road course and other vehicle positions are obtained from cameras or other sources.

Using vehicle lighting systems like headlights and taillights for obstacle detection and driver assistance by pulsing or modulating the visible light to enable detection. The lighting source emits visible light with a specific pulsing or modulating pattern that can be detected by an optical sensor. The sensor receives the reflected light and determines the presence and position of nearby objects based on the pattern. This allows using the vehicle's existing lighting system for obstacle detection without additional sensors. The pulsed light pattern is visible to the human eye for normal illumination but also detectable by the sensor for obstacle detection.

Configurable headlight system that can automatically adjust the beam patterns to meet different regulatory requirements in different countries without needing driver intervention. The headlights have fixed high and low beams, plus inclined light sources for side illumination. A GPS receiver determines the country and a controller alters the side light operation to comply. This avoids manual switches and inconsistent use.

Brake light system for vehicles that changes appearance based on engine and vehicle speed to provide enhanced aesthetics and safety. The brake lights have modulated control that adjusts features like color, intensity, sequence, and rate based on factors like engine RPM and vehicle speed. This allows the lights to have dynamic effects like pulsing, flashing, or changing hue as the vehicle accelerates or decelerates. The modulated brake lights can improve visibility and conspicuity compared to static lights, especially in low light conditions.