Virtual Light Sources – Efficient Design Options for Automotive Lighting

Steffen Ragnow

Synopsys Inc., Paderborn, Germany

Contact email address: steffen.ragnow@synopsys.com

Abstract – Virtual light sources are mirror images of real light sources created by optics. Most automotive lighting systems use nonimaging optical systems and are designed per relation between the optics and a real light source. Designing lighting systems that use virtual light sources requires additional optical components and may add complexity to the design process. However, this approach also expands the limits of classical automotive lighting designs by offering new approaches to compose light patterns in automotive front lighting and illumination, and enriching the freedom of styling. This paper explains the principles of virtual light sources in nonimaging optics. Furthermore, it provides guidelines for new automotive lighting system designs. The high optical efficiency of a front fog assembly demonstrates how almost all of the source flux can be collected and controlled by means of a virtual source design. Furthermore, the paper presents parameters that affect the efficiency of the optical setup.

Keywords: Virtual Light Source, Nonimaging Optics, Fog Lamp, Head Lamp