Enlightened interiors

OEMs and their suppliers are developing technology for optimized interior illumination and greater brand differentiation.

The traditional dome light inside most cars for nighttime interior illumination seems like little more than an ineffective afterthought in many cars. Its high location sometimes means that its glare can blind occupants while driving and the seats can cast shadows that hinder searches on the floor for cell phones, CDs, and the other detritus of daily automotive life. But some enlightened manufacturers and suppliers have seen the struggle occupants suffer trying to find anything inside their vehicles at night or even when parked in a dim garage. The solution is a new generation of lights that employ new technology, locations, and brains to provide lighting that pleases and delights customers.

The number of lights inside cars is climbing rapidly, but growth will soon flatten as more lights offer diminished returns. “Twenty years ago we had seven lights in our cars,” said Juergen Schrader, Senior Manager of seats, interior, and trim of large cars and convertible systems for Mercedes-Benz cars at DaimlerChrysler. “Today in an E-Class, we have 40 lights. For the future, we will not do much more, maybe a maximum of 40 or 50 lights in the car.”