Stellantis taps TU Darmstadt university’s expertise for vehicle lighting
As part of the worldwide Stellantis research network with renowned universities, Stellantis subsidiary Opel and the TU Darmstadt university are jointly researching new lighting technologies. In currently 15 so-called OpenLabs, scientific knowledge is gained that is to be used for the technology systems of future vehicle generations. Now the first Stellantis OpenLab is starting in Germany. To enable a new era of lighting technologies, the company is working in a strategic partnership with the TU Darmstadt.
“Advanced adaptive lighting systems provide so much more than situational illumination of the road,” says Opel CEO Uwe Hochgeschurtz. “They are linked to numerous assistance systems and make driving safer and more comfortable. Together with TU Darmstadt, we want to develop technologically completely new lighting systems and put them on the road.” In doing so, Opel engineers are taking a holistic approach to the topic of light, because light has great relevance for numerous aspects of the vehicle far beyond the headlights. Thus, the research focus in the OpenLab at the TU Darmstadt is on the further development of communication and driver assistance systems, adaptive headlamp systems, rear lights, interior lighting and light sources in general.
The Pixel-Vizor vehicle front, with which the Opel Manta GSe ElektroMOD was the first vehicle to be registered for road use a few months ago, already shows how the communication of vehicles with other road users and thus safety in road traffic can be increased by means of innovative lighting systems.
Within the framework of the cooperation, the scientists will research, among other things, an intelligent, self-adapting headlight and taillight system that optimally adapts to the environment and traffic situation as well as other influencing factors. Responsible for this are different segments within the lighting, which are individually controlled by software. Initial tests with a prototype are planned for the course of the year. “
If everything goes as planned, the first vehicles with the lighting technologies developed by the scientists and Stellantis will be seen on the roads by 2028.
Related articles:
Faurecia buys interior lighting company
HiPhi X e-car comes with smart matrix lighting system
Hella mulls light for communication in road traffic
Lighting alliance continues growing, expands product spectrum
Matrix headlight has more than 25.000 pixels
