Instrument Panel Light Strip Layout to Reduce Driver Stray Light

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle interior lighting systems emit stray light that can distract drivers, especially during night or tunnel driving, impairing safety.

Innovation Solution

A lighting system with a light strip or light guide integrated into the instrument panel, designed to highlight contours and create a situational lighting atmosphere, reducing stray light and enhancing driver orientation and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a lighting system illuminates a large area in the vehicle interior, then the contours of interior components can be highlighted and orientation improved, but stray light is generated that disturbs the driver and reduces driving safety

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelighting coverage areaVSAvoiddriver distraction from stray light
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting system transitions from uniform area illumination to localized contour illumination. Light strips are positioned along the contours of the instrument panel, door panels, and center console to highlight edges and shapes without illuminating the entire interior space, thereby maintaining orientation benefits while minimizing driver distraction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The lighting system is divided into multiple independent light strips positioned at different locations (instrument panel, door panels, center console) rather than a single large illumination source. This segmentation allows selective illumination of specific contours and regions, reducing overall stray light while maintaining effective contour highlighting

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the lighting system highlights contours of interior components, then driver orientation and accessibility are improved, but the complexity of the lighting device increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriver orientation and component accessibilityVSAvoidlighting system structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting system uses thin, flexible light strips that can be easily conformed to and integrated into the contours of various interior components. These flexible strips simplify installation and integration compared to rigid lighting structures, reducing overall system complexity while achieving effective contour highlighting

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The lighting elements are integrated into existing interior components such as the instrument panel, door panels, and center console rather than being separate add-on systems. This merging approach reduces overall system complexity by utilizing existing structural elements as mounting surfaces and integrating lighting functions into already-present components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system improves driver orientation and reduces distraction by providing focused lighting, especially in low-light conditions, while maintaining crash safety and allowing for adjustable lighting settings based on vehicle state.

Implementation Method 1

The lighting device (16) has at least one light strip (18a-c) The light strip can be, for example, an RGB light strip

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight Emitting Diode: Light Emitting Diode

Implementation Method 2

the at least one light emission surface (20a-c) is designed to diffuse (e.g. in several different spatial directions) the light passing from the at least one light strip (18a-c) through the at least one light emission surface (20a-c)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 3

the at least one light-emitting surface can include a front optic for scattering the light passing through the light-emitting surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectScattering: Scattering

Data Source

PatentEP4711204A1Motor vehicle having a lighting device
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 MAN TRUCK & BUS SE
  • EP4711204A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4711204A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4711204A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a motor vehicle (100), preferably a commercial vehicle, comprising an instrument panel (12), a storage compartment, preferably a glove compartment (14), and a lighting device (16). The storage compartment is arranged on the instrument panel (12). The lighting device (16) comprises at least one light strip (18a-c), preferably at least one LED strip or at least one light guide, wherein the lighting device (16) is arranged on the instrument panel (12) and at least partially above the storage compartment.