Valeo's New 3D-Effect Position Lamps: a World First on the Citroen D09 Concept Car

FRANKFURT, September 15 -- Valeo unveils a world first: a new technology that will transform lighting and signaling systems. The 3D-effect technology, used in the front and rear position lamps, adds substantial depth to the perceived image, despite being only 25 mm thick. It is based on the principle of the multiple reflection of light from LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) and opens up significant new styling possibilities.

Valeo has equipped the D09 concept car with this technology. The delicate appearance of the rear lamp is enhanced by a trompe-l'oeil effect, the result of considerable research. The design teams at Citroen and Valeo worked closely together right from the start of the project, to produce front and rear lamps that maximize this technology. The first stage involved the creation of computer-generated animated images, followed by the fine-tuning of appearance details on a mock-up.

In addition to providing an attractive appearance and the benefits of compactness and high reliability, the use of LEDs in the lighting system reduces electric consumption, since these light sources require far less power than conventional lamps. A traditional incandescent system requires total lighting and signaling power of around 160 W, generating CO2 emissions of over 5 g/km, whereas LEDs cut CO2 emissions to 1.7 g/km, corresponding to estimated fuel savings of 0.2 l/100 km on average.

Valeo is an independent industrial Group fully focused on the design, production and sale of components, integrated systems and modules for cars and trucks. Valeo ranks among the world's top automotive suppliers. The Group has 121 plants, 61 R&D centers, 10 distribution platforms and employs 50,100 people in 27 countries worldwide.

For more information about the Group and its activities, please visit our web site http://www.valeo.com