Magna’s new surface element lighting enables more expressive vehicle design

Enables customisable 3D styling opportunities in a thin package, first-to-market technology debuted on 2021 Volkswagen ID.4

Autocar Professional BureauBy Autocar Professional Bureau calendar 18 Jun 2021 Views icon4271 Views Share - Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to LinkedIn Share to Whatsapp
Magna’s new surface element lighting enables more expressive vehicle design

Magna International is pushing vehicle design possibilities with its new innovative Surface Element Lighting technology which offers a new palette of options for automotive designers.

First-to-market on the all-electric 2021 Volkswagen ID.4, Surface Element Lighting is contained within a compact package, providing a homogeneous appearance and customizable, affordable LED lighting options for exterior vehicle applications.

“Automotive designers are constantly looking for new ways to differentiate and lighting is one way to showcase creativity and brand image,” said, John O’Hara, President of Magna Mechatronics, Mirrors, Lighting and Magna Electronics. “With OLED-like uniformity at a fraction of the cost, Surface Element Lighting is a game-changer in terms of design and customisation.”

At a minimum thickness of just 4mm, individual compact LED panels can be packaged into tight spaces and situated in near-endless configurations. The surrounding frame of the lit element can be modified to create unique 3D panels enabling styling freedom.

Lighting animations are customizable and can be created within individual elements or in groups including: lock/unlock, greet/goodbye, charge indicator, startup and turn signal indicator. In addition, designers have the option to offer consumers a choice of different pre-programmed lighting animations to deliver an even greater level of personalization.

This new technology builds on Magna’s current portfolio which includes lighting solutions that can be found on more than 140 vehicle models today. 

 

RELATED ARTICLES
Volkswagen Group honours 10 outstanding suppliers, strengthens strategic collaboration

auther Autocar Professional Bureau calendar13 Jul 2025

The 21st Volkswagen Group Award recognized suppliers for outstanding performance and contribution over the past year. VW...

Volkswagen Group sells 465,500 BEVs worldwide in first-half 2025, up 47%

auther Autocar Professional Bureau calendar10 Jul 2025

With strong growth in Europe (+89%) and the USA (+24%), despite a sales decline in China (-34%), the VW Group’s global B...

Skoda begins sale of made-in-India CKD Kushaq in Vietnam

auther Autocar Professional Bureau calendar30 Jun 2025

Before production started, pre-series Kushaq vehicles covered over 330,000 kilometres on a variety of Vietnamese roads a...