Forvia Hella and Audi develop digital headlamp concept for Q6 e-tron

International automotive supplier Forvia Hella has developed a completely new headlamp concept for the Q6 e-tron in collaboration with the German premium manufacturer Audi. Its speciality is that the front lighting not only realises adaptive lighting functions such as glare-free high beam but has a digital daytime running light matrix that allows end users to select their preferred digital light signature for the daytime running light from up to eight preset designs. The appearance of the Matrix LED headlamps can, therefore, be personalised to a high degree.
 

The digital daytime running light matrix gives end users the option of selecting their preferred daytime running light signature from up to eight preset designs. (Picture: Audi AG)

“Audi and Forvia Hella are breaking new ground with the headlight concept for the Q6 e-tron. LED lighting signatures have long been indispensable for the characteristic, emotional design language of vehicles,” says Yves Andres, who is responsible for the global lighting business at Forvia Hella as a member of the Management Board. “However, with the concept that we have brought into series production together with Audi for the Q6 e-tron, we are now opening up new degrees of freedom for end consumers to help shape the appearance of the vehicle front.”

For the front lighting of the Q6 e-tron, Forvia Hella has developed a headlamp concept that visually divides the lighting elements into two areas based on the design of the bodywork. The lower area is primarily responsible for ‘seeing’: Matrix LED headlamps consisting of 14 LEDs realise glare-free high beam, i.e. driving with the high beam permanently switched on without dazzling oncoming traffic. The upper element, on the other hand, is used to display ‘being seen’, the digital daytime running lights with the associated design and customisation functions. Each headlamp has a digital daytime running light matrix consisting of 61 individually switchable segments, which create the customisable digital light signature of the Audi Q6 e-tron.

The daytime running light designs created by the manufacturer, which also include specially customised Coming Home/Leaving Home scenes, can then be selected by the end user according to their own preferences via a software-based app or the fully electric SUV's Multi Media Interface (MMI).

The matrix LED headlamps are produced in the Czech Republic, and a local version for the Chinese market is also manufactured in China. Series development takes place in Germany and the Czech Republic.