2019 Volkswagen Touareg comes equipped with the lastest I.Q. lighting system
During Volkswagen’s Future Talk event at their headquarters in Wolfsburg, the German automakers gave an insight into future headlamp and tail-light concepts. These will not only make driving easy but also contribute to enhanced traffic safety.
The Volkswagen Center of Lighting Excellence has a 100-metre-long light tunnel with black ceiling, floor, and walls. This is where great minds work on the “Evolution of Light”. The engineers create various road simulations and test how drivers and pedestrians react to different lights and signals. It speeds up the entire development process and helps new lighting systems reach the production car much faster.
Volkswagen ID electric concept IQ Light with projector door open indicator lighting system
We’ve all noticed how headlights have evolved from the simple, round lights that gave the Beetle its iconic face eight decades ago to the intricate IQ.Light seen on the new VW cars. With the modern LED lighting, designers can put dozens of diodes into every light fixture. They won’t just become brighter and put more light down the road, but will open up fascinating new avenues for car-makers. Lights promise to become an intelligent part of future cars and also become the human-machine interface, one that interacts with people and vehicles around to make the roads safer and driving easier.
One of the first such developments can be seen on the new Touareg which is equipped with the “IQ.Light matrix LED headlights”. These feature micro-pixel HD headlights with up to 30,000 light points and can project information directly on to the road. For instance, the Optical Lane Assist uses the headlights to project lane-markers on to the road which indicate the width of the SUV. This makes it very easy for the driver to judge if the VW can squeeze through the narrow roads, say during situations like road works. More importantly, this system is based on micro-pixel HD and LED headlights, which are significantly cheaper than the lasers used by others. (Also read: 2019 Volkswagen Touareg First Drive Review)
Even tail-lights will have a more prominent role in a modern car, with new-age matrix LED light clusters. The rear lights will provide more information to the vehicle and driver behind. Imagine a car-to-car communication system which uses the tail-light to warn the cars behind about a traffic jam or even a crash, so that one can slow down in advance. This can preclude the undesirable element of surprise and can defuse dangerous situations.
You can also customize the message flashing on the back-lights… “Gujjar Boyz” anyone?
A more useful feature shown by VW was the battery charge indication which, at a glance, tells you the juice left in an electric vehicle. (Also read: Volkswagen Launch India-bound New T-Cross In Europe)
Volkswagen engineers are even working on another interesting use of light, especially for slow-speed manoeuvres such as parking. In situations such as pulling out of a parking spot, light beams can project arrows on the road which will alert passers-by more clearly. A similar concept also informs road-users when the car door is about to be opened. Optical Parking Sensors at the rear will project a path on to the road which makes it easier to reverse into a space and can also let others see where you’re planning to reverse. These ideas are to make the road a safer place for all.
This is just the tip of the iceberg and work is still in progress with unimaginable possibilities. With these new-age electro-magnetic radiations, Volkswagen hope to make the future brighter still.
