Opel introduces AI-powered lighting communication for autonomous cars

Opel, Stellantis and TU Darmstadt present AI-driven light communication in the Grandland at ISAL 2025, exploring safer interactions for autonomous driving.

Opel showcased an experimental Opel Grandland at the International Symposium on Automotive Lighting (ISAL) in Darmstadt, developed together with Stellantis and the Technical University of Darmstadt. The project highlights how SAE Level 3 vehicles could use light not only to illuminate the road but also to communicate with pedestrians and other road users.

Lighting innovation has long been part of Opel’s identity. Current models feature Intelli-LED, Intelli-Lux Matrix, and Pixel Light systems, while the new Grandland debuts Intelli-Lux HD with more than 50,000 controllable elements. This advanced base allowed engineers to test a new approach: external communication through lighting signals and the illuminated Blitz emblem.

The demonstrator responds to traffic situations using cameras and artificial intelligence. When a pedestrian is detected, white lights shift to magenta and the display shows a matching warning. The vehicle slows down, and once it comes to a stop, the lights switch to green with a walking symbol known from crosswalk signals. During standard autonomous operation, the Grandland signals itself with cyan lights, a color chosen for its clarity since it is not used in existing traffic codes. If the system cannot manage a situation, control is returned to the driver.

The choice of colors is deliberate. Red and yellow are already reserved for brake and indicator functions, while cyan and magenta were evaluated for perception and are not currently present in traffic. Mercedes-Benz is conducting similar trials and, in March 2025, received approval in Germany to test turquoise ADS marker lights until 2028. On a regulatory level, SAE J3134 and UNECE discussions are shaping the framework for new external signals, although harmonized rules in Europe are not yet established.

The initiative forms part of Opel’s collaboration with the Technical University of Darmstadt. Within the Stellantis OpenLab in Germany, research focuses on light-based communication, adaptive headlamps, and human perception of signals. The university’s Adaptive Lighting Systems and Visual Processing lab, led by Professor Tran Quoc Khanh, has been engaged in such projects for over a decade, and the ISAL presentation reflects a step towards applying this knowledge in real vehicles.

Academic studies confirm that external HMI solutions can increase pedestrian trust and shorten decision times when crossing the road. However, in real-world traffic with multiple participants, further trials and standardization remain necessary. Opel has not announced concrete plans for series production of this communication system, yet the Darmstadt demonstrator indicates a clear direction: light is becoming the language through which future cars will speak to people.