Context-Aware Ambient Display door panel
This project focused on creating a dynamic, context-aware ambient display system seamlessly integrated into the vehicle’s interior door panels. Featuring a matrix of LEDs running the full length of the door and utilizing an iPad Mini as a mock digital rearview mirror, the system delivers functional and customizable light effects to enhance communication and interaction within the vehicle.
Key Demonstrated Use Cases:
Ambient Lighting: Customizable, user-controlled lighting effects that elevate the in-cabin atmosphere and personalize the driving experience.
Contextual Alerts: Real-time visual cues for events such as incoming calls, potential hazards, and pedestrian proximity during parking.
Safety Warnings: Alerts that notify users when it is unsafe to open the door, such as when bicycles or other obstacles are approaching.
Interconnected Displays: Synchronized driver- and passenger-side panels that react to changes on either side, allowing collaborative control and shared interactions.
Designed as a proof-of-concept demonstrator, this system illustrates how ambient lighting can enhance vehicle safety, improve user experience, and create intuitive, context-aware interactions. By blending innovative HMI design with practical safety features, the project reimagines how light can communicate and connect passengers with their vehicle.
This collaboration between the Faurecia Cockpit of the Future team and the Silicon Valley R&D branch of a French automotive OEM culminated in 2020 with the installation of the system in a vehicle. The result was a highly polished demonstrator showcasing the future of in-vehicle ambient display technology.
This video showcases the final context-aware ambient display system fully installed in the demo vehicle. In this demonstration, I walk through the various synchronized light effects, highlighting key use cases such as customizable ambient lighting, safety alerts, and real-time notifications. The seamless integration of the LED panels into the vehicle’s doors and their synchronized functionality between the driver and passenger sides bring the vision of this project to life.
Company: Faurecia
Team: Cockpit of the Future
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Year: 2019-2020
This video captures an informal presentation of the context-aware ambient display system in its early demo stage. In this demonstration, I showcase the prototype setup, featuring the driver- and passenger-side LED panels along with the digital rearview mirror assemblies, arranged on tables to simulate the vehicle doors. I walk through various use cases, including customizable ambient lighting, real-time alerts for incoming calls, safety warnings for potential hazards, and synchronized interactions between the two panels. While the system is not yet installed in a vehicle, the polished look of the demonstrator—complete with LED diffusion panels and seamless synchronization between the two sides—is evident.
This video showcases one of the context-aware ambient display demonstrators during its development phase. At this stage, the LED panels and digital rearview mirror are installed in their housings, but the light matrix is not yet diffused, making the individual LEDs visible behind the panel.
This video showcases an early development stage during the design and rapid prototyping phase. At this point, the LED matrix is functional but covered with a temporary diffusion panel, giving a preview of how the lighting effects would appear in the final version. The setup focuses on testing light patterns and refining the design for optimal diffusion and visual appeal. This glimpse into the prototyping phase highlights the iterative process involved in bringing the concept to life.