Shaping the future of automotive lighting in Iași With its global center for software engineering in Romania, Plastic Omnium stands for innovative lighting systems to meet the needs of modern mobility concepts for the automotive industry. Together with its team of motivated software developers from Iași, Plastic Omnium pursues its vision of turning every journey into a unique lighting experience. As the global center for software engineering for all of Plastic Omnium’s projects, the company site in Iași is fundamental to its business. Site manager Ciprian Lapa and his colleague Mihai Luca answer key questions about the daily work at Plastic Omnium and the exciting technologies that they are developing. What exactly is the role of smart software in the development of mobility lighting?
Ciprian Lapa: We develop intelligent solutions for the future of mobility lighting, thus software is the key. The evolution from halogen to xenon and then to LED has vastly expanded the potential of vehicle lighting. Individual control of modern headlamps at LED level takes precision, light distribution and efficiency to new heights. In conjunction with intelligent software and control electronics, light becomes an assistant in all driving situations. Adverse weather conditions, narrow lanes, twisting roads, bumps and dips all make the driver’s life difficult, but adaptive, intelligent vehicle lighting can greatly reduce the burden. What additional benefits do end customers derive from intelligent software? Ciprian Lapa: The software we develop in Iași enables, for example, our new interior and exterior projection solutions to deliver fully individualized welcome
and goodbye scenarios and create a personalized driving experience for passengers. Our digital projection systems offer numerous options for displaying individual content – from static motifs and patterns to fully dynamic videos – both inside and outside the vehicle, turning it into a canvas. In addition, our digital projection solutions can be used to supplement important safety functions outside the vehicle. For example, the modules can project a carpet of light in front of the driver and passenger doors to make it easier to get in and out of the vehicle, especially in the dark or with poor visibility. Beyond that, the technology is capable of displaying warning symbols next to the vehicle or even communicate warning signals to other road users in the immediate environment. Digital projections are therefore not only a
Ciprian Lapa
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Mihai Luca Anul 6, nr. 18
Iulie 2022
