Method for dynamically controlling a vehicle lighting system, computer element, computer program and lighting system for implementing the method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method, a computer element, a computer program and a lighting system for the dynamic control of a lighting system of a vehicle controlled by a control unit (2) for providing a plurality of lighting configurations of said system (1) and, on the other hand, at least one sensor (3) for acquiring data on the external environment of the vehicle, the method comprising a recording of at least one signature in the control unit and a prior learning of the control unit (2) to detect the circulation of the vehicle in a built-up area and then a detection of the ambient brightness, in order to control said lighting system by providing modified lighting configurations, reducing the energy consumption of at least one of said lighting devices used while maintaining the signature of the vehicle. Figure for abstract: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Method for the dynamic control of a vehicle lighting system, computer element, computer program and lighting system for implementing the method

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of lighting and / or signaling devices for motor vehicles, in particular automobiles, and more particularly to the management of energy consumption by these devices and the management of the "light signatures" that now constitute the forms of lighting that equip many vehicles. For about a decade, vehicle lighting has taken on different forms that are characteristic of different automobile manufacturers, generally regardless of the model, so as to provide a "signature" making it possible to identify the make of the vehicle simply by seeing its lighting, without needing to see its coat of arms or its inscriptions. These signatures are generally carried by daytime running lights but are increasingly tending to be able to be carried by position lights or dipped beam headlights.The problem of saving energy therefore has an impact on signature management if we wish to switch from one traffic light to another to save energy, while meeting regulatory requirements and maintaining a signature (which can nevertheless vary between day and night).

[0002] Indeed, a recurring problem in the field of lighting devices concerns energy consumption and the technologies of these devices are evolving to limit their energy consumption and increase their lifespan. In addition to these solutions relating to the devices themselves, there remains a problem of managing vehicle lighting to limit energy consumption. Indeed, the regulations in force in different countries around the world impose various parameters for vehicle lighting, such as sizes, arrangements, ranges, width, etc. For example, Regulation No. 48 of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) provides uniform requirements for the approval of vehicles with regard to the installation of lighting and light-signalling devices.In general, the regulations aim to ensure the safety and ignition of lighting devices, and some of their parameters, such as their ranges, widths and intensities, are defined to ensure good visibility of the vehicle from the outside and good visibility of users inside the vehicle on the environment. However, in traffic, visibility conditions vary widely depending on natural factors such as time or weather, but . also depending on environmental factors such as public lighting (especially in built-up areas), the density of vehicles circulating, etc. Thus, regulations lead to lighting being most often greater than what is necessary for the safety of users in traffic, due to the accumulation of lighting from various vehicles and / or their environment. Thus, saving energy for vehicle lighting while complying with regulations remains a problem in the field.

[0003] On the other hand, car manufacturers are increasingly adopting digital lighting devices for mid- and high-end products. These digital lighting devices generally include semiconductor light sources, the operation of which can involve high energy consumption. In addition, temperature control in these elements is a very sensitive aspect, and is generally carried out by derating, which means that the value of the current that powers the light source is reduced so that the output flux and the operating temperature decrease accordingly. The performance of the light sources must therefore be greatly oversized to cope with these overheating problems, so that the operating values ​​can be reduced while maintaining acceptable values.

[0004] These questions are even more important in the case of new electric vehicles, where energy saving is crucial, as it has a direct impact on the vehicle's autonomy and therefore on CO2 emission values.

[0005] Finally, in certain cases, it is useful to be able to improve visual comfort if the environment allows it, so as to increase the safety of users by limiting visual light pollution in their fields of vision.

[0006] The present invention therefore aims to provide solutions for managing vehicle lighting and optimizing the energy consumption of the lighting system of these vehicles while complying with regulations, or even improving visual comfort and user safety.

[0007] Method for the dynamic control of a lighting system of a vehicle, said system comprising, on the one hand, a plurality of lighting devices controlled by a control unit to provide a plurality of lighting configurations of said system and, on the other hand, at least one sensor for the acquisition of data on the external environment of the vehicle, the method comprising: - a recording, in the control unit, of at least one light signature allowing identification of said vehicle, day and / or night, by defining the shape of the light beams emitted by its lighting devices, - prior training of the control unit to recognize characteristics of agglomerations from data provided by at least one sensor during a preliminary training phase, said method being characterized in that it comprises, when said vehicle is in circulation: - acquisition of data from at least one sensor by the control unit and comparison of the data provided by said sensor of the system with said learned built-up area characteristics to decide whether a built-up area lighting functionality should be activated or deactivated - measurement of the ambient brightness by the control unit from data from at least one sensor, to detect whether the vehicle is currently driving in a built-up area with reduced brightness and, if so, control said lighting system to modify the lighting configuration by switching on the dipped headlights and: - either by partially switching off the position lights and only keeping patterns allowing the said signature to be provided in addition to the dipped headlights, when the position lights are capable of participating in the said signature - either by completely switching off the position lights when they do not participate in the said signature or when there is only one identical signature for day and night, in order to only switch on the position lights if the dipped beam headlights are defective.

[0008] According to another feature, said control unit stores different signatures at least to allow discrimination between day and night, the method then comprising a control of said lighting system to modify the lighting configuration of a plurality of devices of the system and thus provide the signature adapted to said measured ambient brightness, during the day said control of said lighting system to provide the second or third lighting configuration also comprises a control of at least one other lighting device to supplement or replace those modified, in particular if the modification consists of switching off one of said devices.

[0009] According to another feature, said control of said lighting system is a control of the photometry of at least one of said lighting devices.

[0010] According to another feature, at least one of the automotive lighting devices comprises a matrix arrangement of luminous pixels in rows and columns.

[0011] According to another feature, following one of said reductions, certain rows or columns are extinguished compared to the initial light intensity.

[0012] According to another feature, the steps implemented by the control unit when the vehicle is in circulation are carried out periodically with a period of less than 1 second, and in particular less than 0.5 seconds.

[0013] According to another feature, the learning by the control unit involves the use of an automatic computer learning algorithm.

[0014] According to another feature, the data on the external environment of the vehicle acquired by at least one sensor include at least two types of data among the lighting devices currently active on said vehicle, the exterior light intensity, the number of cars around and the distance from them, the current speed of the vehicle or the presence and color of traffic lights, the positioning coordinates and the surrounding road signs.

[0015] According to another feature, the plurality of sensors comprises at least one of an external light sensor, an activation sensor of said lighting devices, at least one camera, a geo-positioning sensor, a radar, a lidar or infrared sensors.

[0016] Another aim of the present application is to propose a computer element making it possible to at least partially overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0017] This aim is achieved by a computer element comprising means for implementing the steps of a method according to various embodiments of the invention.

[0018] Another aim of the present application is to propose a computer program making it possible to at least partially overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0019] This object is achieved by a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a control unit, cause the control unit to execute the steps of a method according to various embodiments of the invention.

[0020] Another aim of the present application is to propose a vehicle lighting system making it possible to at least partially overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0021] This object is achieved by a vehicle lighting system comprising: - a plurality of lighting devices; - a plurality of sensors configured to provide certain external data; and - a control unit for carrying out the steps of the method according to various embodiments of the invention.

[0022] According to another feature, at least one of the lighting devices comprises a matrix arrangement of semiconductor light sources.

[0023] According to another feature, the matrix arrangement comprises at least 2000 semiconductor light sources.

[0024] Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the description of various embodiments below, made with reference to the appended drawings. Indeed, to complete the description and to allow a better understanding of the invention, a set of drawings is provided. These drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention and form an integral part of the description, which should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention, but simply as an example of the manner in which the invention can be implemented. The drawings include the following figures: [Fig.l] [Fig.l] represents a schematic view of a system according to various embodiments of the invention; [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a schematic view of a method according to various embodiments of the invention; [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a front view of a vehicle whose lighting system provides a first signature according to various embodiments of the invention; [Fig.4] [Fig.4] represents a front view of the vehicle of [Fig.3] but whose lighting system provides a second signature according to various embodiments of the invention.

[0025] The present invention relates to a method for the dynamic control of a lighting system (1) of a vehicle, as well as a computer element, a computer program and a lighting system for implementing the method. The present application refers to a control unit which controls the lighting but also which is trained during at least one learning process and which performs calculations, comparisons, etc. Those skilled in the art will of course understand that it may be several control units for the different tasks and cooperating to implement the invention or a single unit performing all the tasks. In addition, those skilled in the art will naturally understand, by the nature of the tasks performed, that such a unit will generally comprise at least one processor executing instructions and that various forms of implementation are possible and that it is therefore not necessary to provide details on the types of hardware that can be used or used.The drawings presented on the figure pages are provided solely as examples and in a very schematic manner, so that the person skilled in the art will be able to imagine any type of variants from the content of this application.

[0026] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this document must be interpreted in accordance with professional practice, particularly in the field of lighting and signaling of motorized vehicles, in particular automobiles. For example, the terms "range", "width", and intensity are commonly used and may be interpreted to also cover other terms used to define light beams (particularly by vertical and horizontal angles or by focal lengths). Similarly, other terms such as "field of vision", often expressed in degrees, may be used without implying any particular limitation in the present application.It is also understood that terms in common usage should be interpreted as being customary in the relevant art and not in an idealized or overly formal sense and should not be interpreted in a limiting manner, . unless expressly defined as such in this document.

[0027] In the present application, as generally accepted in the field of patent applications, the terms "comprises", "comprises" and "includes" as well as their derivatives (such as "comprising", "comprising", etc.) should not be understood in an exclusive sense, that is to say, these terms should not be interpreted as excluding the possibility that what is described and defined may include other elements, steps, etc.

[0028] The terms "lighting system" and "lighting device" are understood in the present application to mean both the lighting itself and the signaling, including in particular: devices that illuminate the vehicle's surroundings, - either to be able to see, such as low beam headlights (LB) or high beam headlights (HB) even if the latter are generally prohibited in certain conditions, particularly in built-up areas, - either to be seen, such as position lights (PL, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "position light"), rear position lights (RPL, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "rear position light") or daytime running lights (DRL, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "day running light") but also devices which signal the actions of a driver to other users, such as for example brake lights (SL, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "stop light"), direction indicator lights (turn signals or TI, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "tum indicator") or hazard lights (W, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "warning").

[0029] The lighting system (1) therefore comprises a plurality of lighting (or signaling) devices (5) which may be of the type of the examples (PL, LB, HB, DRL, SL, TI, W) provided above, which are neither exhaustive nor limiting. In general, it will be considered that the system also comprises the control (or command) unit (2) which makes it possible to control the system (1) and implement the method. Each device may comprise one or more light source(s) (6) depending on the type of lighting (incandescent bulbs or light-emitting diode (LED), for example).

[0030] In general, the present invention aims to save the energy consumed for lighting vehicles traveling in built-up areas, by providing a light signature to the vehicle and preferably depending on the light conditions (for example at night with lighting or on a dark day due to the weather). Indeed, in built-up areas, public lighting generally makes it possible to at least partially compensate for the drop in brightness induced by the weather or the absence of sun (eg, at night), which impacts the various types of lighting and signaling which are actually necessary on vehicles to ensure user safety. Thus, vehicle lighting generally does not require as much energy as they currently consume under these conditions. The present invention therefore proposes to overcome this lack by providing adaptive lighting solutions for vehicles.

[0031] Certain embodiments of the invention therefore relate to a method for the dynamic control of a lighting system (1) of a vehicle, said system (1) comprising, on the one hand, a plurality of lighting devices (5) controlled by a control unit (2) to provide a plurality of lighting configurations of said system (1) and, on the other hand, at least one sensor (3) for the acquisition of data on the external environment of the vehicle.

[0032] In general, the method comprises: - a recording, in the control unit, of at least one light signature allowing identification of said vehicle, day and / or night, by defining the shape of the light beams emitted by its lighting devices (5), - prior training of the control unit (2) to recognize characteristics of agglomerations from the data provided by at least one sensor (3) during a prior training phase, Thus, the control unit present in the vehicle to control the lighting system is capable of recognizing the fact that the vehicle is traveling in a built-up area and dynamically adapting the lighting if the functionality is activated. It should be noted that the various functionalities and the lighting configurations that result from their activation can of course be subject to authorization by the driver, for example by a prior configuration on his dashboard or an agreement to be validated when the control unit detects the appropriate conditions for activating the functionalities.

[0033] It will be noted that the recording of at least one signature actually corresponds to the recording of a light pattern to be displayed by the lighting devices (5) of the system. This pattern is preferably actually defined by different pre-established configurations for switching on light sources of the different devices, but various variants are possible depending on the control capabilities of the control unit and the nature of the display devices.

[0034] The prior configuration of the control unit (2) makes it capable of implementing the following steps, when said vehicle is in circulation: - acquisition of data from at least one sensor (3) by the control unit and comparison of the data provided by said sensor (3) of the system (1) with said learned built-up area characteristics to decide whether a built-up area lighting functionality must be activated or deactivated - measurement of the ambient brightness by the control unit (2) from the data of at least one sensor (3), to detect whether the vehicle is currently traveling in a built-up area with reduced brightness and, if so, control said lighting system to modify the lighting configuration by switching on the dipped headlights and: - either by partially switching off the position lights and only keeping patterns allowing the said signature to be provided in addition to the dipped headlights, when the position lights are capable of participating in the said signature - either by completely switching off the position lights when they do not participate in the said signature or when there is only one identical signature for day and night, in order to only switch on the position lights if the dipped beam headlights are defective.

[0035] Generally speaking and in various embodiments, the learning by the control unit (2) comprises the use of a machine learning algorithm, for example by neural networks, classifiers, etc. This machine learning algorithm can be used both for the design of the light patterns of the case and / or for the classification of each situation in a predefined use case. Each of the two options follows its own machine learning algorithm. Once the corresponding results are validated, the values ​​of the control unit are used for the corresponding steps of the method of the invention.On the other hand, to monitor the traffic conditions and circumstances in which the vehicle is located, the steps implemented by the control unit (2) when the vehicle is in circulation are preferably carried out periodically with a period of less than 1 second, and in particular less than 0.5 seconds.

[0036] In various embodiments, the data on the external environment of the vehicle acquired by at least one sensor (3) comprises at least two types of data among the lighting devices (5) currently active on said vehicle, the external light intensity, the number of cars around and the distance from them, the current speed of the vehicle or the presence and color of traffic lights, the positioning coordinates and the surrounding road signs.

[0037] Similarly, in various embodiments, the plurality of sensors (3) comprises at least one of an external light sensor, an activation sensor of said lighting devices (5), at least one camera, a geo-positioning sensor, a radar, a lidar or infrared sensors.

[0038] Thanks to learning (or training), the control unit can then monitor the environment of the vehicle when it is in circulation to propose various lighting configurations. Indeed, the vehicle in circulation generally has a lighting configuration, preferably in accordance with the regulations) which depends on the traffic conditions and circumstances and involves the switching on of various system devices. Learning is called "preliminary" because it precedes the steps of the process that are implemented during the vehicle's circulation (acquisition, calculation, detection, comparison, etc.), but it should be noted that this learning can either be carried out before the control unit is installed on the vehicle, or be carried out after this installation so that the learning is carried out in real conditions.

[0039] In some embodiments, the control unit undergoes two training processes. Both training processes include machine learning steps, where the control unit is trained with training data provided by the plurality of sensors.

[0040] The first training process involves designing different embodiment light patterns, each associated with a plurality of data values. This first training process includes: - training the control unit to design a light pattern of embodiments in response to a set of training data - testing the control unit by comparing the chosen light pattern with the expected optimal results.

[0041] Different use cases are defined, and the optimal light pattern is found for each use case, using the algorithm mentioned above.

[0042] The second training process concerns the classification of a situation into a predefined use case. This second training process comprises - training the control unit to classify a situation into a predefined use case with a training data set - a test of the control unit by comparing the chosen predefined case with the expected optimal results.

[0043] In this embodiment, different situations are set up, each with different data obtained by the sensors. The control unit is trained to identify which of the use cases best matches the situation.

[0044] Once the two training processes are completed, the control unit is installed in a vehicle, to carry out the light control of the lighting system. However, as mentioned elsewhere in the present application, the training or prior learning can be done after installation on said vehicle and it will then be learning in real conditions. The validation of the learning will then be carried out by an action (by an automatic supervisor and / or a user supervising the operation) on the control unit, either on site or remotely.

[0045] The operation of this lighting system would then be to provide a preliminary light pattern, depending on the lighting functionality chosen by the user of the vehicle.

[0046] In some embodiments, when using said vehicle equipped to implement the present invention, every 0.2 seconds for example, the control unit of the lighting system receives the data from the plurality of sensors. This data includes the external data of the vehicle (active lighting functionality, exterior light intensity, number of cars around and distance from them, current speed of the vehicle or presence and color of traffic lights, etc.) Through its training / learning, the control unit will classify the environment into a use case and associate a lighting pattern with this situation. The lighting system then projects the new light pattern, which provides adequate lighting with minimal energy consumption. This process is for example repeated every 0.2 seconds.It will be noted that the term "light pattern" is used in the present application with the same meaning as the term "lighting configuration" and that it is not limiting of a pattern in the proper sense and therefore does not necessarily imply a variation of the photometry.

[0047] In certain embodiments, said control unit stores different signatures at least to allow discrimination between day and night, the method then comprising a control of said lighting system to modify the lighting configuration of a plurality of devices (5) of the system (1) and thus provide the signature adapted to said measured ambient brightness, during the day said control of said lighting system (1) to provide the second or third lighting configuration also comprises a control of at least one other lighting device to supplement or replace those modified, in particular if the modification consists of switching off one of said devices.

[0048] By reducing the lighting provided by the position lights to only the light points which participate in the signature, a substantial saving can be achieved while maintaining satisfactory visibility. In particular, in the case of LED lighting devices (5), it is possible to independently control each component of the matrix and to provide varied patterns. On the other hand, by reducing the range and / or the lighting intensity, an even more substantial saving can be achieved by taking advantage of the fact that the built-up area is lit or that the brightness is reduced during the day (due to the weather for example) but is not as bad as at night.

[0049] In certain embodiments, said control unit stores different signatures at least to allow discrimination between day and night, the method then comprising a control of said lighting system to modify the lighting configuration of a plurality of devices (5) of the system (1) and thus provide the signature adapted to said measured ambient brightness. It is understood from the above that the method makes it possible to merge the functions of the various lighting devices and including position lights (PL) and dipped beam headlights (LB), or even daytime running lights (DRL). Thus, the control unit can control the light patterns of the various devices, complementing or replacing the others, particularly if the modification consists of turning off one of the said devices. Indeed, in particular to continue to meet the regulatory criteria concerning the visibility of the vehicle (its size in particular) and / or the lighting of the vehicle's environment, it is possible to combine the use of the various types of devices while reducing energy consumption. Thus, it is possible to reduce the intensity use or turn off one of the lights and turn on another, possibly with a limited intensity as well.

[0050] It will be noted that for the detection of an agglomeration the control unit can use image recognition from an on-board camera to identify buildings and for example measure their density, but it can also use the geo-positioning signal to determine whether the vehicle is in a city and other possibilities are therefore conceivable, so that these examples are not limiting.

[0051] Similarly, in some embodiments, the control unit (2) is trained to recognize traffic in flowing traffic or congested traffic, in order to also vary the energy consumption and the signature of the vehicle if the distance between the vehicles means that the signature is no longer necessary. For the detection of congested traffic, the control unit preferably uses a comparison of the speed with a threshold and monitoring of stops or slowdowns of the vehicle, but these examples are not limiting either and the control unit can also, in addition or as an alternative, use distance sensors (for example ultrasonic) to determine the proximity of other vehicles (possibly by combining this distance with image recognition making it possible to identify that they are indeed vehicles and not any obstacles).In some embodiments, the discrimination of the characteristics of situations of said vehicle in circulation integrates a calculation of a time before collision and a comparison of this time with a threshold, for example two seconds. Thus, when a time before collision of less than two seconds is detected, the control unit can deduce (preferably with the context provided by the other information) that the safety distances are reduced because of congested traffic.

[0052] In some embodiments, at least one of the automotive lighting devices (5) comprises a matrix arrangement of light pixels (2) in rows and columns. In some particular cases, the matrix comprises at least 2000 solid-state light sources. A matrix arrangement is a typical example of this method. The rows can be grouped into projected distance intervals and each column of each group represents an angle interval. This angle value depends on the resolution of the matrix, which is generally between 0.01° per column and 0.5° per column. This control of the rows and columns allows for independent control of the angle and range, in addition to the intensity, and allows for the management of multiple light sources at the same time. In some of these embodiments, following one of said reductions, certain rows or columns are turned off compared to the initial light intensity. Indeed, modern lighting devices often include "solid state" light sources, and the invention makes it possible to take advantage of this type of device, which notably allows for adaptation of the photometry. The term "solid state" refers to the light emitted by solid-state electroluminescence, which uses semiconductors to convert electricity into light. Compared to incandescent lighting, solid-state lighting creates visible light with reduced heat production and less energy dissipation.The generally low mass of a solid-state electronic lighting device provides greater resistance to shock and vibration than brittle glass tubes / bulbs and long wires with thin filaments. They also eliminate filament evaporation, which can increase the lifespan of the lighting device. Some examples of these types of lighting include semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), or polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) as lighting sources rather than electric filaments, plasma, or gas. This process aims to find the optimal light pattern to be projected by a lighting device. Predetermined use cases are defined, and a corresponding light pattern is projected when the process identifies that the vehicle is in one of the predefined use cases.An optimal lighting scheme is therefore found without excessive computational cost, since there are a reasonable number of predefined use cases.

[0053] Thus, in certain embodiments, said control of said lighting system (1) for providing the second or third lighting configuration comprises a control of the photometry of at least one of said devices. Indeed, the various devices emit a light beam which is specific to them and which has a particular shape, defined by the photometry. The invention provides for modifying this photometry in certain cases to adapt it to the circumstances of city traffic and the brightness, depending on the signature to be displayed on the vehicle.

[0054] It is understood that the present invention provides a method for adaptive management or control of vehicle lighting depending on traffic conditions. This method involves the use of a control unit (2) having computing resources and connected to sensors (3) to control the vehicle lighting system (1). Such computing resources are known per se and can be implemented by a computer element. Thus, certain embodiments also relate to a computer element comprising means for implementing the steps of a method according to the invention. Similarly, it is known that such computer means for implementing such a method generally require a computer program unless analog programming is envisaged. Thus, certain embodiments relate to a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a control unit (2), cause the control unit to execute the steps of a method according to the invention. Finally, as the invention is intended to be installed on a vehicle, certain embodiments relate to a vehicle lighting system (1) comprising: - a plurality of lighting devices (5); - a plurality of sensors (3) configured to provide certain external data; and - a control unit (2) for carrying out the steps of the method according to the invention.

[0055] As mentioned above in the present application, in certain embodiments of such a system, at least one of the lighting devices (5) comprises a matrix arrangement of semiconductor light sources (2). In certain of these embodiments, the matrix arrangement comprises at least 2000 semiconductor light sources (2).

[0056] The present application describes various technical features and advantages with reference to the figures and / or to various embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the technical features of a given embodiment may in fact be combined with features of another embodiment unless the opposite is explicitly mentioned or it is obvious that these features are incompatible or that the combination does not provide a solution to at least one of the technical problems mentioned in the present application. Furthermore, the technical features described in a given embodiment may be isolated from the other features of this embodiment unless the opposite is explicitly mentioned.

[0057] Detailed list of references in the figures: 1 lighting system 2 control unit 3 sensor 5 lighting (and / or signaling) device

Claims

Claims

1. Method for the dynamic control of a lighting system (1) of a vehicle, said system (1) comprising, on the one hand, a plurality of lighting devices (5) controlled by a control unit (2) to provide a plurality of lighting configurations of said system (1) and, on the other hand, at least one sensor (3) for acquiring data on the external environment of the vehicle, the method comprising: - a recording, in the control unit, of at least one light signature allowing identification of said vehicle, by day and / or by night, by defining the shape of the light beams emitted by its lighting devices (5), - a prior learning of the control unit (2) to recognize characteristics of built-up areas from the data provided by at least one sensor (3) during a prior training phase, said method being characterized in that it comprises, when said vehicle is in circulation: - acquisition of data from at least one sensor (3) by the control unit and comparison of the data provided by said sensor (3) of the system (1) with said learned built-up area characteristics to decide whether a built-up area lighting functionality must be activated or deactivated - measurement of the ambient brightness by the control unit (2) from the data of at least one sensor (3), to detect whether the vehicle is currently traveling in a built-up area with reduced brightness and, if so, control said lighting system to modify the lighting configuration by switching on the dipped headlights and: - either by partially switching off the position lights and only keeping patterns allowing the said signature to be provided in addition to the dipped headlights, when the position lights are capable of participating in the said signature - either by completely switching off the position lights when they do not participate in the said signature or when there is only one identical signature for day and night, in order to only switch on the position lights if the dipped beam headlights are defective.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said control unit stores different signatures at least to allow discrimination day and night, the method then comprising a control of said lighting system to modify the lighting configuration of a plurality of devices (5) of the system (1) and thus provide the signature adapted to said measured ambient brightness, during the day said control of said lighting system (1) to provide the second or third lighting configuration also comprises a control of at least one other lighting device to supplement or replace those modified, in particular if the modification consists of switching off one of said devices.

3. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said control of said lighting system (1) carries out a control of the photometry of at least one of said lighting devices (5).

4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the automotive lighting devices (5) comprises a matrix arrangement of light pixels (2) in rows and columns.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein, following one of said partial or total extinctions, certain rows or columns are extinguished relative to the initial light intensity.

6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the steps implemented by the control unit (2) when the vehicle is in circulation are carried out periodically with a period of less than 1 second, and in particular less than 0.5 seconds.

7. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the learning by the control unit (2) comprises the use of a computer-assisted automatic learning algorithm.

8. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data on the external environment of the vehicle acquired by at least one sensor (3) comprises at least two types of data among the lighting devices (5) currently active on said vehicle, the external light intensity, the number of cars around and the distance from them, the current speed of the vehicle or the presence and color of traffic lights, the positioning coordinates and the surrounding road signs.

9. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of sensors (3) comprises at least one of an external light sensor, an activation sensor of said lighting devices (5), at least one camera, a geo-positioning sensor, a radar, a lidar or infrared sensors.

10. Computer element comprising means for implementing the steps of a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

11. A computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a control unit (2), cause the control unit to execute the steps of a method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. Vehicle lighting system (1) comprising: - a plurality of lighting devices (5); - a plurality of sensors (3) configured to provide certain external data; and - a control unit (2) for carrying out the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

13. System (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein at least one of the lighting devices (5) comprises a matrix arrangement of semiconductor light sources (2).

14. System (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the matrix arrangement comprises at least 2000 semiconductor light sources (2).

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