LED technology
redefines automotive design
Headlamps are an integral part of automotive history. Right from the start, we've had to find our way in the dark. Besides just providing light, they're the first design element you notice on a car. After half a century dominated by halogen and xenon headlights, the advent of LED technology has spawned a stylistic revolution. Philippe Poilâne, Head of Lighting and Wheels Design at PEUGEOT, takes a look back at this revolution.
LED technology
redefines automotive design
Headlamps are an integral part of automotive history. Right from the start, we've had to find our way in the dark. Besides just providing light, they're the first design element you notice on a car. After half a century dominated by halogen and xenon headlights, the advent of LED technology has spawned a stylistic revolution. Philippe Poilâne, Head of Lighting and Wheels Design at PEUGEOT, takes a look back at this revolution.
The arrival of LED at PEUGEOT
LED supremacy didn't happen overnight at PEUGEOT. At first, they were used for signalling purposes, as in the rear lights of the 2003 307 CC — the first lion to be equipped with LEDs. It took another ten years for the second-generation 308 to be fitted with real headlamps. The impact of this technology can be seen in the transformation of PEUGEOT's Lighting department. Growing from an ultra-small team, a dozen people now work with Philippe Poilâne to create ever more spectacular lighting signatures.
The arrival of LED at PEUGEOT
LED supremacy didn't happen overnight at PEUGEOT. At first, they were used for signalling purposes, as in the rear lights of the 2003 307 CC — the first lion to be equipped with LEDs. It took another ten years for the second-generation 308 to be fitted with real headlamps. The impact of this technology can be seen in the transformation of PEUGEOT's Lighting department. Growing from an ultra-small team, a dozen people now work with Philippe Poilâne to create ever more spectacular lighting signatures.
First steps in the automotive world
A recent Arts Déco graduate, she joined the automotive sector in 2015 with her first position as CMF designer for a supplier, which designs and manufactures complete modular interior systems. "When I joined the automotive industry, I was like a child, says Maud Rondot. It's a sector that offers a wide variety of transformation processes and materials, from soft to hard materials... Working for a supplier allowed me to discover the industry from the ground up, to understand how everything worked. I had to adapt a lot, but if you love your job, you can adapt very quickly." As the first CMF in the supplier's design department, she learned to develop strategies. "What interested me most were research, processes, materials and how to orchestrate all that to create a unique experience." In 2019, she joins the Peugeot teams as Project Manager in the CMF design department.
First steps in the automotive world
A recent Arts Déco graduate, she joined the automotive sector in 2015 with her first position as CMF designer for a supplier, which designs and manufactures complete modular interior systems.
"When I joined the automotive industry, I was like a child, says Maud Rondot. It's a sector that offers a wide variety of transformation processes and materials, from soft to hard materials... Working for a supplier allowed me to discover the industry from the ground up, to understand how everything worked. I had to adapt a lot, but if you love your job, you can adapt very quickly."
As the first CMF in the supplier's design department, she learned to develop strategies.
"What interested me most were research, processes, materials and how to orchestrate all that to create a unique experience."
In 2019, she joins the Peugeot teams as Project Manager in the CMF design department.
The "three claws" signature
This is where LED lighting has made a big difference. The miniaturisation of the diode gives designers more freedom to create complex designs, compared to halogen lights that required simple shapes. LED lights can be arranged in the desired light shape, extending right up to the radiator grille. The Fractal and Instinct concept cars, unveiled in 2015 and 2017, perfectly illustrate this unprecedented field of possibilities. To ensure every PEUGEOT is easily identifiable, designers have refreshed the unique three-claw design first seen on the headlamps of the legendary 504 Coupé.
For the last ten years, this design has been used on the back and more recently the front of PEUGEOT models like the 208, the E-208, the 508, and the new E-3008. Over the decade, the three claws have become a signature sight on PEUGEOT cars.
The "three claws" signature
This is where LED lighting has made a big difference. The miniaturisation of the diode gives designers more freedom to create complex designs, compared to halogen lights that required simple shapes. LED lights can be arranged in the desired light shape, extending right up to the radiator grille. The Fractal and Instinct concept cars, unveiled in 2015 and 2017, perfectly illustrate this unprecedented field of possibilities. To ensure every PEUGEOT is easily identifiable, designers have refreshed the unique three-claw design first seen on the headlamps of the legendary 504 Coupé.
For the last ten years, this design has been used on the back and more recently the front of PEUGEOT models like the 208, the E-208, the 508, and the new E-3008. Over the decade, the three claws have become a signature sight on PEUGEOT cars.
The Pixel LED, intelligence in the service of safety
The E-3008 takes design to a new level. The designer's signature three-claw light display is mixed seamlessly into the grille, creating a unique look. This was a challenge for Philippe Poilâne's team, who had to find the right synthesis between these two very different elements characteristic of the SUV's front end.
The SUV also boasts intelligent Pixel LED technology, which can maintain the brightest light beam without blinding others on the road. Simply put, you can always have your high beams on regardless of the conditions — the car takes care of everything. This is possible because each headlight has 22 separate LED Pixels. While this tech upgrade doesn't impact the design of the headlights, according to Philippe Poilâne, we are far from having explored all the possibilities offered by LEDs. The future looks bright!
The Pixel LED, intelligence in the service of safety
The E-3008 takes design to a new level. The designer's signature three-claw light display is mixed seamlessly into the grille, creating a unique look. This was a challenge for Philippe Poilâne's team, who had to find the right synthesis between these two very different elements characteristic of the SUV's front end.
The SUV also boasts intelligent Pixel LED technology, which can maintain the brightest light beam without blinding others on the road. Simply put, you can always have your high beams on regardless of the conditions — the car takes care of everything. This is possible because each headlight has 22 separate LED Pixels. While this tech upgrade doesn't impact the design of the headlights, according to Philippe Poilâne, we are far from having explored all the possibilities offered by LEDs. The future looks bright!
