VW shows how headlights, taillights of the future will communicate to us

ure of automotive lighting is looking bright. Not only will it provide simple illumination, but companies are developing ways to use it for additional communication. Volkswagen is one of those companies, and it has shown how both headlights and taillights can do more than just improve visibility.

Like some other companies, VW revealed new LED headlights that use far more points of light, 30,000 specifically, than existing matrix headlights. The possibilities here go beyond simply dimming portions to enable constant use of high beams without blinding oncoming people. These lights can actually create patterns on the road to communicate road information to the driver. VW also noted that it could project the path of the car to make it clear to drivers and pedestrians around the vehicle where the car is about to go, potentially preventing collisions.

VW also showed how matrix LED lighting can be used with taillights. One of the specific use cases shown was showing the vehicle path, like with the headlights. But in this case, the lines could help the driver line up the car, not just alert those nearby of where the car is going. Of course, rear-view cameras already project lines, so this may be less useful.

There is also potential for less elaborate LED matrix lights, too. The company showed Golf taillights with a simple set of a few LEDs and how it could show different symbols, such as a hazard or warning sign that could come up when suddenly slowing down for a traffic jam. It could also display charging information so that you wouldn't have to awkwardly try to read indicator lights or the instrument cluster to check. These lights could also open up the possibility of having different startup lighting and turn-signal patterns that the owner could customize.