Design of an automotive lighting system : Development of an overall solution for roof mounted LED light bars

For a long time, auxiliary lights utilizing halogen or xenon light sources has been fitted in front of the car’s front grille when needing an improved high beam performance. The bigger the auxiliary light, the better its light performance has been. Today’s LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology, where several small light sources are used, has enabled a new market of auxiliary lights, smaller in size and more flexible in shape but with performance able to both match and outperform the traditional auxiliary lights. This master thesis focuses on developing an overall solution for mounting the type of LED auxiliary light commonly referred to as LED light bars on the roof of a car and aims to broaden an existing market. LED light bars are characterized by its oblong and cuboid-like shape. High-performance light bars are theft-desirable by nature as they have a high price and lack of theft security in themselves. In today’s market, there is no given solution for the attachment of roof mounted light bars without harming the car. As a result, mountings of this kind are mostly seen neither aerodynamic nor aesthetically appealing. The project has been performed according to the CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate) phases. During the conceive phase, a comprehensive pre-study was carried out in which car, relevant theories, LED light bars, competitors and expert observations were investigated. In the design phase, ideas were developed using a number of creative methods implemented individually, in groups and in the form of a workshop. Ideas were clustered into categories and were screened prior to the implement phase. In the following phase, the ideas were combined into a concept that was defined in details. A prototype was manufactured and evaluated, after which the concept was iterated into a final solution. During the last phase, operate, all deliverables were produced at the same time as a manufacturing process was initiated. Together with Vparts, a company dedicated entirely to Volvo owners, an overall solution has been developed to enable a good-looking, anti-theft-proof, model specific and aerodynamic mounting of LED light bars onto the roofs of cars. The concept consists of a double curved light bar in combination with lockable and adjustable mounts having an aerodynamic shape. The solution is modular and includes two different versions of the mounts, which together cover 9 Volvo models, each variant consisting of four different components per side of the light bar