Methods and tools for the design of novel multi-functional automotive lighting

Car manufacturers-in conjunction with suppliers and legislators-currently aspire to develop the adaptive headlight of tomorrow. Appropriate solutions will be based on a mechatronic design concept and will incorporate components from as heterogenous fields as lighting technology, mechanics, actuators, sensors, power electronics and system control. This article will look at appropriate methods and corresponding tools for concept synthesis and analysis of mechatronic light. As case study, the development of a bi-functional projection module will be traced, the first of its kind to mechanically alter the light pattern. It will be shown how the analysis of various solution elements maximizes the potential solution space and how the modelling and simulation of crucial system properties is embedded in the recursive synthesis process in order to early predict and to minimize risk. Although the focus is on automotive headlights, the methods discussed here can be applied to a great deal of other components in the automotive industry as well.