Volkswagen lights up!

DRIVE is a backdrop for selfies

DRIVE is offering visitors the perfect selfie backdrop. A gigantic cloud of balloons brings the unique light accents to life. Visitors to our Facebook page who guess the number of balloons used in the light installation will have a chance to win a €50 gift certificate for the DRIVE Shop. Start counting and click here to enter: https://www.facebook.com/DRIVEvwgroup

Light – A design element of the future

Klaus Bischoff, Head of Volkswagen Design, invites designers, software developers, electronics engineers, students and journalists to take part in an expert talk in DRIVE on October 18. The launch for the new DRIVEN BY DESIGN event series focuses on the importance of light for the future of automotive design.

Lighting design is already giving vehicles a unique personality. The shape of the headlamps determines a car’s expression. Klaus Bischoff explains: “More than any other design element, headlights characterize the look of a vehicle. They attract our attention because we automatically see a car’s ‘eyes’ first. This is what gives the car a human-like appearance.”

Lights will be used for communication and interaction in the next generation of cars. Lighting elements can show whether the vehicle is about to start and drive off. Light signals can let the driver know whether the vehicle is still charging or ready to drive. A car can also use the headlights to communicate with its surroundings. For example, the lights will blink to greet the owner when he or she approaches the vehicle. Lights breathe life into the modern automobile.

Intelligent light

Volkswagen is bringing what sounds like a vision of the future to the market in 2020 with the new Volkswagen ID.3*. This car uses the new ID. Light intelligent lighting system to visually communicate with its occupants.
An LED strip spanning the instrument panel accentuates different driving functions in colour. ID. Light guides the driver when getting into the vehicle by signalling whether the car is locked or unlocked and ready to drive. The system also highlights information from the driver assistance and navigation systems and signals incoming phone calls or the need to brake.

Together with the navigation system, ID. Light makes it easier to relax when driving in heavy traffic. It blinks to recommend a lane change and can warn drivers when they are in the wrong lane. ID. Light also supports voice control. A light signal responds to voice commands and indicates whether the assistant is ready to answer the driver or passenger.

* Concept car