DVN @ Munich 2025 brought more than 500 people—another new record—together to tell, show, listen, and learn about the latest vehicle lighting challenges. More competition, barriers formed by geopolitical turbulence, less money for innovation, and less time for development, to name a few. At the same time, there’s unprecedented need for innovative design, breakthrough technology, and new ways of working—accommodating AI, using digital twins, and incorporating sustainability from start to finish, for instances.
That’s a stiff workload. Sounds like a hard uphill climb. So, will everyone lose motivation to innovate, and just go for cheaper solutions and cheaper suppliers? I really don’t think so! Not when I see the record-high attendance at this DVN event, the great participation by exhibitors (48 this time, yet another new record!) and all the new technology being dreamed up, developed, refined, and commercialized in the vehicle lighting and driver-vehicle vision world.
A lot of designers and stylists come to our events to see the new technology, and that surely indicates vigorous health in the ecosystem. The demand for good design drives the lighting industry to innovate in important ways.
I was quite impressed at the new technology coming from the display world. Films for in-car displays and HUDs, mini- and microLEDs with smaller and smaller pitches, laser + MEMS for projection. Technology for V2X communication with displays and projections is clearly ready. We have started to see it in China and it is coming in Europe. Now our job is to make it safe and valuable for customers and end-users.
Speaking of safety: public complaints about traffic glare are increasing all over the world. We in the industry have a big central role in addressing it, and that will have to be done thoughtfully and carefully. To that end, DVN held a session about glare with universities, research institutes, and regulators. Getting an informed, multilateral discussion happening is a very fine start!
Next week, I will be able to take a deep dive into our Munich event with the detailed report made by all our Senior Advisers. The content was so important that I can’t do it now.
Sincerely yours,
