If they became necessary accessories on our cars, both for visibility and safety headlights knew all forms and all evolutions over time. They are the result great research and innovation work led by the brightest engineers from the beginning of the 20th century until today. When the automobile was still in its infancy in the late 19th century, bodies were still modeled after carriages (hence the name, by the way), and lighting fixtures were only candles under glass. More marker lights than real projectors to light up the night! In this race for innovation, in which hundreds of brands are competing, it is An Audi that stands out. From time to time introducing technologies that will create jumps in car lighting.

From light bulb to laser

Since 1903August Horch (who founded Audi in 1910) patented The first paraffin lamp for a car. The beam remains weak, but progress is already there. The revolution will really come in 1920, with the first ever car with electric headlights. That year, Audi managed to democratize Thomas Edison’s invention with a car, and a mobile one at that! Since then, the manufacturer is a leader in lighting technologies, registering hundreds of patents in this field. In 1972, the Audi 80 became the first car in the world to have dual headlights: 2X2 at the front.

Emergence of electronics will allow further development of technologies complex and futuristicwhich Xenon technology of the second generation which is presented as a world premiere on A8 in 1994. Thus, large Audi sedans and sports cars of the brand will become a large laboratory for experiments with lighting technologies. It was the R8 supercar, which inherited the first all-LED headlights in 2008, and the flagship A8 with Matrix technology (in 2013). We see better, further and lighting becomes intelligent adapting to its environment. A feat confirmed introduction of laser in 2014 (again on R8).

A6 e-tron: information through light

with the emergence of digital in recent years, headlights are no longer just for lighting, they are also used for communication. This is something that Audi has been working on for the next few years Concept A6 e-tron which democratizes the principle of information with light. Thanks to sensors and cameras, the car is able to inform users and passengers. Illuminate the floor to careful cyclists about the inevitable opening of the door, design a pedestrian crossing digital. A copy of the turn signals on four blind spots, warn the driver approaching a stationary vehicle… Assistance made possible by technology Digital LED matrixwhich is precise and allows you to play with clearly identifiable details and shapes.

Headlights are becoming so sophisticated that now they are two or three times ahead of the driver. But how often technology moves fast and legislation slows it down. Thus, some of the A6 e-tron’s innovations will remain at the concept stage, such as his intelligent grill with backlight example. If the state authorities are not aware the potential of such innovations, for security, as well as for information sharing. The future is already here, you just need to listen to it more carefully.