The Automotive industry finds itself in the exciting position of reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions while integrating innovative safety concepts. The energy efficiency of light emitting diodes (LED) have made this particular semiconductor a very interesting lighting technology for use in automobiles lighting. LEDs surpass the currently used incandescent, halogen and gas discharge lamps in several respects including lifespan, robustness, overall size, turn on time, lower voltage and color spectrum. Due to LED technology numerous innovations for both vehicle exteriors and interiors which will contribute to positive changes in the areas of safety, maintenance-friendliness, comfort and design.

Challenge

The great advantages to be had for “product automobile” from LED technology must however be weighed against the costs of greater complexity in terms of lighting system development. Now we are dealing with an “optical-thermal-electronic-mechanical” system. In particular, the electronic control of LEDs presents a great challenge to the development process, as for each of the various LED types and setups a new kind of electronics must be developed. Through the use of LEDs in areas outside the automotive realm, the new field of ‚Automotive Light Engineering‘ has been created.

Automotive Light Engineering

The innovative idea in PROVALIDIS (Adaptive Prototyping and Test platform for Automotive Light Engineering) is based on the development of an adaptive methodology for the model-based development of LED light scenarios under modular integration of ambient simulation mechatronic components with automatic test execution. In order to create the most realistic prototyping, simulation and testing environment in the fledgling field of LED light technology development, currently available components such as the various LED Control Units (LCUs) for LED- light controlling and the basic elements of an environmental simulation for mechatronic components will be developed into the most universal platform possible. The platform should also ideally make the testing of complex centralized control devices, containing light functions possible.

Use

PROVALIDIS serves as a quick, convenient specification as well as easy integration and test functional LED light control system including complex mechatronic sensor technology /actuating elements. In this way, lighting technology is backed up by mechatronic aspects thus becoming a functional overall system. The new PROVALIDIS platform – a non-monolithic hardware and software system – makes virtual lighting scenarios functional, tangible und analyzable in early conceptual phases. Due to its adaptability, behavioral models and simulation tools (such as MATLAB/Simulink, ASCET, Rhaspody, CANoe) can be integrated into additional domains from mechanics, control electronics and embedded software, in order to define and simulate the interactions of an ECU. Product developers can thus specify und functionally test their virtual light models. Errors due to interactions between different domains can be uncovered earlier, thus avoiding expensive error corrections and recalls. This interdisciplinary analysis makes cross-disciplinary product optimization possible.