As new technologies develop, automobile human factors researchers see how they can be incorporated into cars. Human factors in driving is also becoming more important as the segment of aging drivers grows. Automotive lighting will have to keep up with the vision needs of older drivers. Older drivers are more sensitive to glare, while requiring more light to see. These conditions have to be addressed because so many drivers are aging into eye problems.
Automotive lighting requires sources that combine brightness, small size, and energy efficiency.
Existing technologies are refined and redesigned for different applications as cars themselves are redesigned, and as new technologies become options for interior and exterior automotive lighting, roadway lighting, and traffic signals. Fiber optic and distributive lighting is effective for dashboard and other interior lights. A single source can send light to several endpoints through tiny fiber optic cables. Higher-end vehicles are beginning to use distributive lighting to illuminate features not directly associate with driving, such as cup holders, door locks, and window controls. Distributive lighting for headlamps and automotive signals is also being examined with high brightness light sources.