With each new model year, cars grow more complex. An ever-expanding list of features brings new comfort and entertainment options to drivers but also brings more convoluted controls to take drivers’ eyes off the road. Ten years ago, that meant increasing numbers of buttons and dials. Today, it means increasingly complex menus on central touchscreens. In any event, it complicates the driving experience.
So, we were delighted to see Volkswagen’s newest use of LED lighting. It’s an elegant attempt to simplify the interface to keep drivers’ eyes on the road.
The ID.light, found on VW’s upcoming ID.4 electric vehicle, is a bar of 54 multicolor LED lights. These elements tuck neatly into the bottom of the windshield, where it meets the dash. The light bar uses color to convey information to the driver (and passenger) in an easy-to-learn syntax. This approach provides signals in the driver’s peripheral vision so that the eyes can stay focused on the road.
The ID.light shows a blue-and-white welcome sequence when the ID.4 starts and reverses it to say goodbye when the vehicle shuts down. Its light flows left or right to indicate turns as suggested by the vehicle’s navigation system. A small white light appears to indicate the vehicle is listening to voice commands (in front of either the driver or passenger, depending on which the system thinks is speaking to it). And, when the ID.4 recharges, it lights up green to indicate the current state of the battery.
“As screens in the vehicle grow bigger, it can take more time for your brain to look at the display and process all the information you need to receive from them,” said Stefan Franke, the system’s lead designer. “Even hearing a navigation system tell you a direction makes your brain pause a second to understand the remark. We knew we needed to find new ways to communicate with drivers to help minimize distractions from the driving task.”
The ID.4 reaches dealerships this spring, for an MSRP of $39,995.
