#Led

“Lighting is the new jewelry,” said David Hulick, global OEM SSL marketing director at Osram Sylvania. It’s something that reinforces a brand’s design DNA and “is part of a car’s identity.”

Display technology is a critical part of modern life. Screens are literally everywhere, from the TV in your living room to the laptop on your desk, the ATM at your credit union to the smartphone in your pocket. We’re surrounded by electronic displays, even when we’re behind the wheel.

When it comes to automotive styling numerous design trends are popular today, but future vehicles are guaranteed to look very different. Functional styling elements will likely play a bigger role in exterior design, things like integrated air vents and spoilers. Naturally vehicle interiors will receive major updates as well, but arguably government regulations are the most important things driving change. Ever-increasing safety and fuel-economy standards are impacting automotive design in major ways.

Blowing well past the entry-level luxury sedan market in terms of price, Kia just announced the sticker for its 2013 Optima SX Limited sedan.

Considering their prevalence today, it’s easy to forget that just five years ago we saw our first set of LED headlights on a production vehicle. Even back then car makers were putting LEDs on concept cars to dazzle show-goers and catch the eyes of the media. But today, LED (light-emitting diode) lights are no longer isolated to just one-off concepts or premium luxury vehicles.

Opel is now the first automaker to road-test a fully integrated matrix light in its prototype vehicles. Its new LED light matrix technology is designed to make night time driving safer by using high beams in standard driving mode.

While that may sound annoying to the other drivers on the road, the light matrix is designed to keep the beam glare free, automatically adapting it to the traffic situation. Essentially the LED light matrix can adjust more rapidly to the traffic situation than any other solution that relies on the driver, or is based on mechanical components.

By working in combination with the front camera, the matrix light will adjust the second the sensors from the camera detect light sources from oncoming or proceeding traffic. The area in front of the vehicle will be completely dimmed while the rest of the road will remain brightly illuminated. This help ensures that drivers in front of the light matrix aren’t pestered, but other non-illuminated obstacles remain well lit.

Each of the two matrix headlights consists of four light segments. Behind each segment, there are four different light sources that can be switched on or off individually, giving it 16 possible combinations per headlight. In total, there are 256 different light settings that will change and adjust without the driver noticing.

Opel plans to implement the LED lighting matrix in its vehicles over the next few years.

Watch a video of it in action after the break.

Kia has released pricing details for its 2012 Rio sedan, starting at $13,400 or $200 less than the 5-door version. That price is before the $750 destination and handling fee.

What will those kooky tuners think of next? Tommy Kaira, a leading manufacturer of very fine JDM goodies, has been perfecting its Nissan GT-R LED emblem since their preview at Tokyo Auto Salon 2010. They’ve also took the liberty to announce more LED-equipped goodies from rear side markers, door sills and front winkers. LED is all the craze now on vehicles, so it’s nice to see Tommy Kaira jumping on and offering accessories in LED form.