Method for dynamically controlling a lighting system of a vehicle, 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 dynamically controlling lighting of a vehicle, these being controlled by a control unit (2) to deliver a plurality of lighting configurations of the system (1) and, also, at least one sensor (3) for acquiring data referred to as driving data, the method comprising recording at least one signature in the control unit and training the control unit (2) beforehand to detect whether the vehicle is being driven through an agglomeration and then detecting ambient luminosity, in order to control the lighting system in such a way as to deliver modified lighting configurations, so as to reduce the power consumption of at least one of the lighting devices used while maintaining the signature of the vehicle.

Description

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, particularly automobiles, and more specifically to the management of energy consumption by these devices and the management of the "light signatures" that now constitute the lighting patterns found on many vehicles. For about a decade, vehicle lighting has taken on different forms that are characteristic of different car manufacturers, generally regardless of the model, in order to provide a "signature" that allows the vehicle's brand to be identified simply by seeing its lighting, without needing to see its emblem or markings. These signatures are generally found in daytime running lights but are increasingly being incorporated into parking lights or low beams.The problem of saving energy therefore has an impact on signature management if one wishes to switch from one light to another to save energy, while meeting regulatory requirements and maintaining a signature (which may nevertheless vary between day and night).

[0002] Indeed, a recurring problem in the field of lighting systems concerns energy consumption, and the technologies used in these systems are evolving to limit energy consumption and increase lifespan. Beyond these solutions focusing on the systems themselves, the challenge of managing vehicle lighting to limit energy consumption persists. Regulations in force in different countries around the world impose various parameters for vehicle lighting, such as size, arrangement, range, width, etc. For example, Regulation No. 48 of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) provides uniform requirements for vehicle type approval with regard to the installation of lighting and signaling devices.In general, regulations aim to ensure the safety and proper functioning of lighting devices. Certain parameters, such as range, width, and intensity, are defined to guarantee good visibility of the vehicle from the outside and good visibility for occupants of the vehicle's surroundings. However, visibility conditions vary widely while driving, depending on natural factors like the time of day and weather, as well as environmental factors such as street lighting (especially in urban areas), traffic density, etc. Consequently, regulations often result in lighting levels exceeding what is necessary for the safety of road users, due to the combined effect of lights from various vehicles. lights 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, automakers are increasingly adopting digital lighting systems for mid-range and high-end vehicles. These digital lighting systems typically include solid-state light sources, which can consume significant amounts of energy. Furthermore, temperature control in these components is a critical aspect and is generally achieved through derating. This involves reducing the current supplying the light source, thereby decreasing the output flux and operating temperature. Consequently, the performance of the light sources must be significantly oversized to address these overheating issues, allowing for reduced operating values ​​while maintaining acceptable performance levels.

[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 range and therefore on CO2 emission values.

[0005] Finally, in some cases, it is useful to be able to improve visual comfort if the environment allows it, in order to increase user safety by limiting 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 respecting regulations, and even improving visual comfort and user safety.

[0007] A method for the dynamic control of a vehicle's lighting system, said system comprising, on the one hand, a plurality of lighting devices controlled by a control unit to provide a plurality of lighting configurations for said system and, on the other hand, at least one sensor for acquiring traffic data relating to the vehicle's environment and its operation, 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 learning of the control unit to recognize the characteristics of built-up areas from data provided by at least one sensor 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 by the control unit and comparison of the data provided by said sensor of the system with said learned urban area characteristics to decide whether an urban area lighting feature should be activated or deactivated - measurement of ambient light by the control unit from data from at least one sensor, to detect if the vehicle is currently traveling in an urban area with reduced brightness and, if so, check the lighting system to change the lighting configuration by turning on the dipped headlights and: - either by partially switching off the position lights and retaining only those patterns that allow the said signature to be provided in addition to the dipped headlights, when the position lights are capable of contributing to said signature - either by switching off the position lights completely when they do not participate in said signature or when there is only one identical signature for day and night, so as to only switch on the position lights if the dipped lights are defective.

[0008] According to another feature, said control unit stores different signatures allowing 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, said control also comprising, during the day, 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 particularity, the said control of the said lighting system includes a control of the photometry of at least one of the said lighting devices.

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

[0011] According to another peculiarity, following one of the said reductions, some lines or columns are turned off compared to the initial light intensity.

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

[0013] Another distinctive feature is that the learning process by the control unit involves the use of a computer-based machine learning algorithm.

[0014] According to another feature, the data relating to the vehicle's environment and operation acquired by at least one sensor (3) includes at least two types of data from among: the activation status of the vehicle's lighting devices (5), the external light intensity, the number of surrounding vehicles and their distance, the vehicle's speed, the presence and color of traffic lights, the vehicle's positioning coordinates and the surrounding road signs.

[0015] Another objective of this application is to propose a computer element that will at least partially overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0016] This goal is achieved by a computer element comprising means for implementing the steps of a process according to various embodiments of the invention, in cooperation with at least one sensor (3) for the acquisition of traffic data.

[0017] Another objective of this application is to propose a computer program that will at least partially overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0018] This goal 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 process according to various embodiments of the invention, in cooperation with at least one sensor (3) for acquiring traffic data.

[0019] Another objective of this application is to propose a vehicle lighting system that at least partially overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0020] This goal is achieved through a vehicle lighting system comprising: - a plurality of lighting devices; - a plurality of sensors configured to provide certain traffic data relating to the vehicle's environment and operation; and - a control unit to carry out the steps of the process according to various embodiments of the invention.

[0021] According to another distinctive feature, at least one of the lighting devices includes a matrix arrangement of semiconductor light sources.

[0022] According to another distinctive feature, the matrix arrangement includes at least 2000 semiconductor light sources.

[0023] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following description of various embodiments, made with reference to the accompanying drawings. Indeed, to supplement the description and to facilitate a better understanding of the invention, a set of drawings is provided. These drawings illustrate one 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 merely as an example of how the invention can be implemented. The drawings include the following figures: [Fig 1] Figure 1 represents a schematic view of a system according to various embodiments of the invention; [Fig 2] Figure 2 represents a schematic view of a process according to various embodiments of the invention; [Fig 3] Figure 3 represents a front view of a vehicle whose lighting system provides a first signature according to various embodiments of the invention; [Fig 4] Figure 4 represents a front view of the vehicle of Figure 3 but whose lighting system provides a second signature according to various embodiments of the invention;

[0024] The present invention relates to a method for the dynamic control of a vehicle lighting system (1), as well as a computer component, a computer program, and a lighting system for implementing the method. This application refers to a control unit that controls the lighting, is trained through at least one learning cycle, and performs calculations, comparisons, etc. Those skilled in the art will understand that this could involve several control units for the different tasks, cooperating to implement the invention, or a single unit performing all the tasks. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will naturally understand, by the nature of the tasks performed, that such a unit will generally include at least one processor executing instructions, and that various forms of implementation are possible; therefore, it is not necessary to provide details on the types of hardware that can be used or are used.The drawings shown on the figures pages are provided for illustrative purposes only. by way of example and in a very schematic way, so that the person skilled in the art can imagine all kinds of variations from the content of this request.

[0025] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this document shall be interpreted in accordance with industry usage, particularly in the field of motor vehicle lighting and signaling, especially for automobiles. For example, the terms "range," "width," and "intensity" are commonly used and may be interpreted to also encompass other terms used to define light beams (including vertical and horizontal angles or focal lengths). Similarly, other terms such as "field of vision" (often expressed in degrees) may be used without any particular limitation in this application.It is also understood that terms in common usage should be interpreted as being customary in the art concerned and not in an idealized or overly formal sense and should not be interpreted restrictively unless expressly defined as such in this document.

[0026] In the present application, as is generally accepted in the field of patent applications, the terms "includes", "comprises" and "includes" and their derivatives (such as "comprising", "comprising", etc.) should not be understood in an exclusionary 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.

[0027] In this application, the terms "lighting system" and "lighting device" refer to 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 dipped headlights (LB, according to Anglo-Saxon terminology "low beam") or main beam headlights (HB, according to Anglo-Saxon terminology "high beam") even if the latter are generally prohibited under 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 allow a driver's actions to be signaled to other road users, such as stop lights (SL, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "stop light"), turn signals (turn indicators or TI, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "turn indicator") or hazard warning lights (W, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "hazard").

[0028] 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, the system will also be considered to include the control (or command) unit (2) which allows for the operation of the system (1) and implement the process. Each device may include one or more light source(s) (6) depending on the type of lighting (incandescent bulbs or light-emitting diode (LED), for example).

[0029] In general, the present invention aims to save energy consumed for lighting vehicles operating in urban areas by providing the vehicle with a light signature, preferably adapted to ambient light conditions (for example, at night with streetlights or on a dark day due to weather). Indeed, in urban areas, public lighting generally compensates, at least partially, for the reduced light levels caused by weather or the absence of sunlight (e.g., at night), which impacts the various types of lighting and signaling that are actually necessary on vehicles to ensure user safety. Thus, vehicle lighting generally does not require as much energy as vehicles currently consume under these conditions. The present invention therefore proposes to address this shortcoming by providing adaptive lighting solutions for vehicles.

[0030] In particular, the invention therefore relates to a method for the dynamic control of a vehicle lighting system (1), 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, said traffic data, relating to the external environment of the vehicle and / or traffic conditions and to its operation and / or its movement.

[0031] In general, the process involves: - 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 agglomeration characteristics from data provided by at least one sensor (3) during a prior training phase, Thus, the vehicle's control unit for the lighting system can recognize when the vehicle is driving in an urban area and dynamically adjust the lighting if the feature is activated. It should be noted that the various features and the resulting lighting configurations can, of course, be subject to driver authorization, for example, through prior configuration on the dashboard or by requiring confirmation when the control unit detects suitable conditions for activating the features.

[0032] It should be noted that recording at least one signature actually corresponds to recording a light pattern to be displayed by the system's lighting devices (5). This pattern is preferably defined by different pre-established configurations for lighting the light sources of the various devices, but various variations are possible depending on the control unit's capabilities and the nature of the display devices.

[0033] The prior configuration of the control unit (2) enables it to implement the following steps when the vehicle is in operation: - 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 agglomeration characteristics to decide whether an agglomeration lighting feature should be activated or deactivated - measurement of ambient light by the control unit (2) from data from at least one sensor (3), to detect whether the vehicle is currently travelling in an urban area with reduced light levels and, if so, to 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 retaining only those patterns that allow the said signature to be provided in addition to the dipped headlights, when the position lights are capable of contributing to said signature - either by switching off the position lights completely when they do not participate in said signature or when there is only one identical signature for day and night, so as to only switch on the position lights if the dipped lights are defective.

[0034] In general, and in various embodiments, the learning processes of the control unit (2) involve the use of a machine learning algorithm, for example, using neural networks, classifiers, etc. This machine learning algorithm can be used both for designing the light patterns of the case and / or for classifying each situation in a predefined use case. Each of these 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 motion are preferably carried out periodically with a period of less than 1 second, and in particular less than 0.5 seconds.

[0035] In various embodiments, the traffic data on the external environment of the vehicle and its operation acquired by at least one sensor (3) includes at least two types of data from among the activation state of the vehicle's lighting devices (5), the external light intensity, the number of surrounding vehicles and their distances, the speed of the vehicle, the presence and color of traffic lights, the positioning coordinates and the surrounding road signs.

[0036] Similarly, in various embodiments, the plurality of sensors (3) includes at least one of an external light sensor, an activation sensor for said lighting devices (5), at least one camera, a geo-positioning sensor, a radar, a lidar or infrared sensors.

[0037] Through learning (or training), the control unit can then monitor the vehicle's environment while it is in motion to suggest various lighting configurations. Indeed, a vehicle in motion generally has a lighting configuration (preferably compliant with regulations) that depends on driving conditions and circumstances and involves activating various system components. This learning is called "preliminary" because it precedes the process steps that are implemented. work during vehicle operation (acquisition, calculation, detection, comparison, etc.), but it should be noted that this learning can either be carried out before the installation of the control unit on the vehicle, or be carried out after this installation so that the learning is carried out under real conditions.

[0038] 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.

[0039] The first training process involves designing different lighting patterns in each embodiment, 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.

[0040] Different use cases are defined, and the optimal lighting pattern is found for each use case, thanks to the algorithm mentioned above.

[0041] The second training process involves classifying a situation within a predefined use case. This second training process includes - training the control unit to classify a situation within a predefined use case using a set of training data - a test of the control unit by comparing the chosen predefined case with the expected optimal results.

[0042] In this embodiment, different scenarios are set up, each with different data obtained from the sensors. The control unit is trained to identify which use case best matches the situation.

[0043] Once both training processes are complete, the control unit is installed in a vehicle to perform the lighting system's control. However, as mentioned elsewhere in this application, prior training or learning can be carried out after installation in the vehicle, in which case it will be considered real-world learning. Validation of the learning will then be performed by an action (by an automated supervisor and / or a user overseeing the operation) on the control unit, either on-site or remotely.

[0044] The function of this lighting system would then be to provide a preliminary light pattern, depending on the lighting function chosen by the vehicle user.

[0045] In certain embodiments, during the use of said vehicle equipped to implement the present invention, every 0.2 seconds, for example, the lighting system control unit receives traffic data from a plurality of sensors. This data includes data relating to the vehicle's environment and its operation (active lighting functionality, external light intensity, number of cars around and distance from them, current vehicle speed or presence, and color). (traffic lights, etc.) Through its training / learning process, the control unit will classify the environment into a use case and associate a lighting pattern with that situation. The lighting system then projects the new light pattern, which provides adequate illumination with minimal energy consumption. This process is repeated, for example, every 0.2 seconds. It should be noted that the term "light pattern" is used in this application with the same meaning as the term "lighting configuration" and is not limited to a specific pattern in the strict sense, thus not necessarily implying a variation in photometry.

[0046] In some embodiments, said control unit stores different signatures allowing 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, said control also comprising, during the day, 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.

[0047] By reducing the illumination provided by the position lights to only those points of light that contribute to the signature, substantial savings can be achieved while maintaining satisfactory visibility. In particular, with LED lighting devices (5), it is possible to independently control each component of the matrix and provide a variety of patterns. Furthermore, by reducing the range and / or intensity of the illumination, even more substantial savings can be achieved by taking advantage of the fact that the built-up area is lit or that daytime brightness is reduced (due to weather, for example) but is not as poor as at night.

[0048] In some embodiments, the control unit stores different signatures, at least to allow for day / night discrimination. The method then comprises controlling the lighting system to modify the lighting configuration of a plurality of devices (5) of the system (1) and thus provide the signature adapted to the measured ambient light. It is understood from the above that the method allows for the merging of the functions of the various lighting devices, and in particular the position lights (PL) and low beams (LB), or even the daytime running lights (DRL). Thus, the control unit can control the light patterns of the various devices, supplementing or replacing others, particularly if the modification consists of switching off one of said devices.Indeed, particularly to continue meeting regulatory criteria regarding vehicle visibility (especially its size) and / or the lighting of the vehicle's surroundings, it is possible to combine the use of various types of devices while reducing energy consumption. Thus, it is possible to reduce the intensity of one light or turn it off and turn on another, possibly with a limited intensity as well.

[0049] It should 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 if the vehicle is in the city and other possibilities are therefore conceivable, so these examples are not limiting.

[0050] Similarly, in some embodiments, the control unit (2) is trained to recognize free-flowing or congested traffic, in order to vary the energy consumption and the vehicle's signature if the distance between vehicles means that the signature is no longer necessary. For detecting congested traffic, the control unit preferably uses a speed comparison with a threshold and tracks vehicle stops or decelerations, but these examples are not exhaustive, and the control unit may also, as a complement or alternative, use distance sensors (e.g., ultrasonic) to determine the proximity of other vehicles (possibly combining this distance with image recognition to identify that they are indeed vehicles and not just obstacles).In some embodiments, the discrimination of the vehicle's situational characteristics in traffic incorporates a calculation of the time to collision and a comparison of this time with a threshold, for example, two seconds. Thus, when a time to collision of less than two seconds is detected, the control unit can deduce (preferably with the context provided by other information) that safety distances are reduced due to heavy traffic.

[0051] In some embodiments, at least one of the automotive lighting devices (5) comprises a matrix arrangement of luminous pixels (2) in rows and columns. In some specific cases, the matrix includes 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 in each group represents an angle interval. This angle value depends on the matrix resolution, which is generally between 0.01° per column and 0.5° per column. This control of the rows and columns allows independent control of the angle and range, in addition to the intensity, and enables the management of several light sources simultaneously. In some of these embodiments, following one of these reductions, some rows or columns are dimmed relative to the initial luminous intensity.Indeed, modern lighting devices often incorporate "solid-state" light sources, and this invention allows us to take advantage of these types of devices, which notably enable photometric adaptation. 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 offers greater resistance to shock and vibration than brittle glass tubes / bulbs and long, thin filament wires. 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 light sources rather than electric filaments, plasma, or gas. This process aims to find the optimal light pattern to pro-. The vehicle is 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 pattern is thus found without excessive computational cost, since there are a reasonable number of predefined use cases.

[0052] Thus, in certain embodiments, the control of said lighting system (1) to provide the second or third lighting configuration includes control of the photometry of at least one of said devices. Indeed, the various devices emit a light beam that is specific to them and that has a particular shape, defined by the photometry. The invention provides for modifying this photometry in certain cases to adapt it to urban traffic conditions and brightness, depending on the signature to be displayed on the vehicle.

[0053] It is understood that the present invention proposes a method for adaptively managing or controlling vehicle lighting based on traffic conditions. This method involves the use of a control unit (2) possessing computing resources and connected to sensors (3) to control the vehicle's lighting system (1). Such computing resources are known per se and can be implemented by a computer component. Thus, some embodiments also relate to a computer component comprising means for implementing the steps of a method according to the invention. Similarly, it is known that such computing means for implementing such a method generally require a computer program unless analog programming is envisaged.Thus, some 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 process according to the invention. Finally, since the invention is intended to be installed on a vehicle, some embodiments relate to a vehicle lighting system (1) comprising: - a plurality of lighting devices (5); - a plurality of sensors (3) configured to provide certain traffic data relating to the vehicle's environment and operation; and - a control unit (2) to carry out the steps of the process according to the invention.

[0054] As mentioned above in this 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 some of these embodiments, the matrix arrangement comprises at least 2000 semiconductor light sources (2).

[0055] This application describes various technical features and advantages with reference to the figures and / or various embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the technical features of a given embodiment can in fact be combined with features of another embodiment unless the reverse is explicitly stated, 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 this application. Furthermore, the technical characteristics described in a given embodiment may be isolated from the other characteristics of that embodiment unless the contrary is explicitly stated.

[0056] Detailed list of references in the figures: 1 lighting system 2 control units 3 sensors 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 the acquisition of data, called traffic data, relating to the environment of the vehicle and its operation, 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 (5), - prior training 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, in which said control unit stores different signatures allowing 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, said control also comprising, during the day, 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) 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 7, wherein, following one of said reductions, 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, in which the data relating to the environment of the vehicle and its operation acquired by at least one sensor (3) comprise at least two types of data from among: the activation state of the lighting devices (5) of the vehicle, the exterior light intensity, the number of surrounding vehicles and their distance, the speed of the vehicle, the presence and color of traffic lights, the positioning coordinates of the vehicle and the surrounding road signs.

9. Computer element comprising means for implementing the steps of a method according to any one of the preceding claims, in cooperation with at least one sensor (3) for the acquisition of traffic data.

10. 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 8, in cooperation with at least one sensor (3) for acquiring traffic data.

11. Vehicle lighting system (1) comprising: - a plurality of lighting devices (5); - a plurality of sensors (3) configured to provide traffic data relating to the environment of the vehicle and its operation; and - a control unit (2) for carrying out the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

12. 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).

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

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