Volkswagen ID.4: Light is the new chrome
In the past, car designers wanted to set accents but often used chrome details and trims. For some years now, the trend has also been towards new lighting elements both inside and outside. “Light is the new chrome”, explains Klaus Zyciora, Head of Design Volkswagen Group and former Head of Design of the Volkswagen brand. “Light plays a particularly important role, especially in an electric car. It stands for energy and electricity, but also for warmth and safety”.
Following this philosophy, Zyciora and his team have created a specific lighting design for the ID.4. The front headlamps are largely fitted with LED technology as standard. The rear lights are completely fitted with LEDs, and a red light strip connects them together. An additional lighting element is located in the housings of the exterior mirrors: projection luminaires concealed there cast a diamond pattern, the typical ID design motif, when the doors are opened. models, on the floor.
LED matrix headlights are available as an option. Their lighting modules each consist of eleven individual LEDs that can be switched off and dimmed separately. In this way, they emit a software-controlled continuous main beam that always illuminates the road as brightly as possible without dazzling other road users.
Even before the start, the light modules communicate with the driver: if he approaches the car with the key, they swivel electrically from bottom to top, thus imitating a “blink of an eye”.
For the first time for the Volkswagen brand, so-called 3D LED taillights are used for the ID.4. The taillight has a three-dimensional effect, with nine light guides each emitting a rich red tone. Each of these discs, which are made up of multiple thin layers, stands freely in the room against a black background. To welcome and bid farewell to the driver, rapid animations run in the luminaires. Customers can switch between two design stagings. In addition, the 3D LED taillights integrate a dynamic flashing light – it moves from the inside to the outside and is intended to additionally emphasise the directional signals.
While the ID.4s smaller companion, the ID.3 is already available since mid-September, Volkswagen plans to present the ID.4 to the public on 23 September. With this vehicle, the manufacturer intends to get a piece of the rapidly growing market of compact SUVs. The first vehicles are to be delivered this year in Europe. In the medium term, Volkswagen’s goal is to become the world market leader in electric mobility. To this end, the Group is investing around €33 billion by 2024, 11 billion of which will be invested in the Volkswagen brand alone.
Preparations for the launch of ID.4 are also in full swing internationally. Pre-production has begun at the Anting plant in China, and production of the ID.4 is scheduled to start in 2022 at the Chattanooga (USA) plant.
Related articles
Volkswagen setting off into the E-era
Reports: Volkswagen struggles with software problems at ID.3
Ford, VW in electric car technology deal
Hella and Volkswagen partners on LED matrix Headlamps
If you enjoyed this article, you will like the following ones: don't miss them by subscribing to :
