An ambient lighting system for automobiles serves to illuminate at least a portion of a passenger compartment and includes a plurality of light guide modules, interposed between the light sources and said contact surface, adapted to guide light rays emitted by light sources and being designed to isolate the light rays to realize sector, blocks or regions adapted to be illuminated with very sharp contrast with the rest of the ambient lighting system. The ambient lighting system also includes at least one integrated touch sensor that is adapted to detect touch of said contact surface by an user's body portion in at least one defined region, and an actuator system for generating haptic feedback for the user.

An ambient lighting system for automobiles serves to illuminate at least a portion of a passenger compartment and includes a plurality of light guide modules, interposed between the light sources and said contact surface, adapted to guide light rays emitted by light sources and being designed to isolate the light rays to realize sector, blocks or regions adapted to be illuminated with very sharp contrast with the rest of the ambient lighting system. The ambient lighting system also includes at least one integrated touch sensor that is adapted to detect touch of said contact surface by an user's body portion in at least one defined region, and an actuator system for generating haptic feedback for the user.

An apparatus and system are disclosed and include a vehicle interior lighting system comprising that includes a light engine with a plurality of independently addressable light emitting diode (LED) segments, each independently addressable LED segment including at least one LED, a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) having a base and plurality of legs extending from the base, each leg supporting an independently addressable LED segment, and a light guide plate configured to provide illumination from the plurality of independently addressable LED segments inside the vehicle. A processor may be configured to receive information from a o vehicle sensing system, a vehicle communication system, or a detection system, and may generate a signal. A controller may be configured to provide one or more light control signals to modify at least one light characteristic of at least one of the plurality of independently addressable LED segments based on the signal.

A housing for a circuit includes a top wall that defines an aperture configured for receiving a fastener, and a bottom wall integrally formed with the top wall, positioned directly below the aperture in a height direction, and extended across the aperture with respect to the height direction. The circuit is mounted on a bottom side of the bottom wall. The top wall and the bottom wall define an interior of the housing, and cooperate to obstruct egress of debris from the interior of the housing to the circuit at the bottom side of the bottom wall.

Aspects of the disclosure include equipment and process schemes for using a plastic decorative light guide of a vehicle as a high-speed optical interconnect. An exemplary method can include forming a decorative light guide from a transparent material. The decorative light guide includes a first insert and a second insert. A light characteristic for optical communication through the decorative light guide is selected based on a current color of the decorative light guide. Light having the light characteristic is injected by a light emitter into the first insert and the light is received by a light receiver from the second insert.

Aspects of the disclosure include equipment and process schemes for using a plastic decorative light guide of a vehicle as a high-speed optical interconnect. An exemplary method can include forming a decorative light guide from a transparent material. The decorative light guide includes a first insert and a second insert. A light characteristic for optical communication through the decorative light guide is selected based on a current color of the decorative light guide. Light having the light characteristic is injected by a light emitter into the first insert and the light is received by a light receiver from the second insert.

An integrated lighting insert is provided for multi-function automotive vehicle lighting that has minimal space requirements and provides different lighting functions in a single device with an electronic control module that can easily interface with vehicle electronics. The insert is a housing and a plurality of light transmission portions, a plurality of light sources integrated into the housing, each one configured for a different predetermined function associated with a particular use of, a condition of, or a state of the automobile. An electrical circuit is used along with a communications bus and individual controller circuits associated with the light sources for controlling the light functions.

An integrated lighting insert is provided for multi-function automotive vehicle lighting that has minimal space requirements and provides different lighting functions in a single device with an electronic control module that can easily interface with vehicle electronics. The insert is a housing and a plurality of light transmission portions, a plurality of light sources integrated into the housing, each one configured for a different predetermined function associated with a particular use of, a condition of, or a state of the automobile. An electrical circuit is used along with a communications bus and individual controller circuits associated with the light sources for controlling the light functions.

Disclosed is a vehicle lighting device intended to improve convenience and safety. A vehicle lighting device includes a light disposed in a vehicle interior, a controller controlling the light, and a detecting unit detecting position or motion of a detecting object by detecting a detection object at a plurality of positions, and the controller controls the light when the position or motion of the detection object is detected by the detecting unit.

Disclosed is a vehicle lighting device intended to improve convenience and safety. A vehicle lighting device includes a light disposed in a vehicle interior, a controller controlling the light, and a detecting unit detecting position or motion of a detecting object by detecting a detection object at a plurality of positions, and the controller controls the light when the position or motion of the detection object is detected by the detecting unit.