Audi Reinventing Pop-Up Headlights For The Future CarBuzz News Features New Cars Used Cars Sell My Car Shopping Tools Car Reviews Car Finder Compare Cars Best Cars Car Dealerships Used Car Reviews Car Advice Home News Audi Reinventing Pop-Up Headlights For The Future
Audi Reinventing Pop-Up Headlights For The Future
Jun. 10, 2022 6:52 PM ET by Sebastian Cenizo Scoop / 10 Comments Here's how Audi made it possible. Pop-up headlights are super cool. Whether you're in a first-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata or a first-generation Honda NSX, these lighting fixtures are fun to use. When retracted, they also help keep the lines of the car smooth and sleek, but because they have been deemed dangerous for pedestrian crash safety, they are no longer legal on any cars. This means that it's pretty much impossible to create a clean front fascia that is uninterrupted by lighting fixtures. Or at least, it used to be. CarBuzz has uncovered exclusive information thanks to a patent application that Audi filed with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) late last year, which was finally published yesterday. CarBuzz CarBuzz In the patent documentation, Audi posits that it would be possible to use a changeable cover for the headlights. This cover would be permanently fixed to the headlight but would have the ability to switch between opaque and transparent states using electrically switchable films, for example. Alternatively, the patent makes mention of switchable or "intelligent" glass. In our minds, this could allow you to fit the technology to a new car like an RS e-tron GT and when the car is off or when it is traveling during the day, the car could have a sleek look. When switching the headlights on, the headlight covers could become transparent, allowing light through. CarBuzz CarBuzz However, Audi has other ideas. Instead of using the technology throughout the headlight housing, the automaker's documentation suggests that only parts of the headlight would use the technology at any one time. Basically, the area around the indicators/blinkers could be covered to allow just white light to shine through. When the car needs to indicate a turn, the low beams and DRLs could be effectively dimmed, allowing the amber light to shine through more vividly. This could enhance visibility and safety, but Audi seems most interested in the aesthetic value because it complains of a lack of "precision" in terms of the blending of colors between light strips. Allow us to go into some detail. CarBuzz CarBuzz CarBuzz "In today's light strips, a plurality of colors can be represented. If, however, two colors are displayed next to one another, there is always a color curve between the colors. This does not appear to be precise. Or, if a region of the light strip is on and a region emerges, there is a brightness profile at the boundary between the regions." Basically, Audi wants to create a cleaner overall look for lighting strips, making it possible to create a more defined lighting signature. Is there any real benefit to this? We'll have to wait and see, but the complaint is typically German in that it chases perfection even in an area where nobody thinks refinement is required. Let's hope it's not too expensive to implement because the potential design benefits appear infinite. Fingers crossed. German Patent and Trade Mark Office German Patent and Trade Mark Office German Patent and Trade Mark Office German Patent and Trade Mark Office CarBuzz Join The Discussion
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Audi RS e-tron GT Sebastian Cenizo Senior Editor Sebastian jumped straight into the workplace after high school. Various vocations in sales, logistics, and project management helped him buy and modify several cars over the years, while his passion for motoring journalism saw him contribute to local print media while running car enthusiast clubs. But in 2019, the opportunity to join CarBuzz arrived. Originally handling reviews of new cars, his love of the technical led to writing detailed blog posts on various aspects of car care and ownership. He currently handles news sourcing, writing, and editing, along with social media management and the clarification of patent lingo. In his spare time, he's either reading, driving, or looking to collect more BMW Performance parts for the E82 and E9X platforms. Contact Sebastian @sebz_tsc @sebz_7 LoginSign Up Home News Features Car Reviews Car Advice 2021 CarBuzz Awards New Cars Used Cars Future Cars Compare Cars Sell My Car Car Dealerships Buy Here Pay Here Used Car Reviews Popular Tags Cars # Video # TOP # Spy Shots # Reveal # Rumor # Auto Show # Supercar # Tuning # Car Culture # Industry News # Motorsport Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Car Type SUVs Crossovers Sedans Coupes Trucks Sports Cars Wagons Vans Hatchbacks Convertibles Small Cars Luxury Cars Electric Cars Hybrid Cars Future Cars By Price Up to $15K $15K - $25K $25K - $35K $35K - $45K $45K - $55K $55K - $75K $75K - $100K $100K - $200K $200K - $300K Above $300K Back To Top