From the initial idea to the prototype to the innovation – this is the path that the Innovation Lighting team often and gladly takes. The results are genuine highlights that really make many vehicles shine, including the FORVIA Masterpieces.

Innovative headlamps, intelligent displays, and sustainable lighting concepts – preliminary lighting development is shaping the automotive lighting technologies of the future. In this article, we take a look behind the scenes of preliminary development, where the team works closely with important clients from the automotive industry. "We focus on the early innovation phase and involve our customers in the development process right from the start," explains Martin Vollmer, Head of Innovation Lighting. "This results in solutions that go far beyond pure functionality. Our aim is to set real milestones in automotive lighting design with innovative technology."

Everything you need for brilliant trade fair appearances

The team regularly presents these at the world's most important automotive trade fairs: the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas and Auto Shanghai, which takes place every two years. Stylish design and animated lighting functions are the eye-catching features of the BG Lighting demos created by the Innovation Team.

However, concepts such as sustainability, affordability, safety relevance, and customer-specific adaptability always play a role in every single concept. "Anyone who takes a closer look at the implementation of our lighting concepts will quickly realize that they always represent a realistic and holistic solution for future vehicles, in line with our strategic planning for individual products and business areas," says Vollmer when asked how the business unit presents itself in the public eye or directly to automotive manufacturers. These activities culminated in the lighting technology contributions to the cross-business group show cars, the so-called FORVIA Masterpieces. "The additional effort is extremely demanding for our innovation department, but the results have earned us special respect both within FORVIA and among our customers and partners - and the team and all departments involved can be very proud of this," says Vollmer, looking back on the recent past. In this way, his team demonstrates year after year its understanding of trends, relevant use cases, the vehicle as a complete system, and the associated mobility of the future. The team repays the opportunities and trust placed in it by the management board in a special way. From the first pencil sketch to the complete implementation and presentation on site, Innovation Lighting is in charge. Martin Vollmer sums it up logically: "Those who write history should definitely tell it."