UFOs on the M4: Audi reveals bizarre 'swarm' light that turns the back of its cars into a pulsating screen

Lights designed to look like moving swarms of animals



Respond to movement and direction of the car

As the car speeds up the 'animals' move faster

Technology uses lights made from organic material

The AA warns it is 'best saved for art galleries and aquariums'



Audi has revealed a car lighting technology that can make the back of its cars show bright patterns to other drivers.

This 'swarm' is made up of thousands of small red lights that cover the width of the boot and react to movements of the car.

The screens are designed to show other drivers what the driver it doing - but motoring organisations told MailOnline the technology should stay a concept.



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Audi's swarm tail light technology is made up of organic light-emitting diodes that respond to movements of the car

When the wheel is turned left or right, the lights flow in the same direction. When the driver presses the accelerator the lights move faster, and when the car brakes the lights flow forward

When the driver turns the wheel, the red dots flow in the direction it has been turned.



When the car speeds up the number of dots, or 'fish', increase and they flow faster around the surface.



HOW DOES IT WORK?

Swarm technology is made up of thousands of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).

These small points of red light flicker and move like a swarm of fish.

The movements of the red dots follow the movements of the vehicle.

When a right turn is made, they flow to the right. When the driver brakes, the dots flow forward. The faster the car goes, the faster the dots move.

When the driver brakes, the dots slow down and flow forward onto the top of the boot.

Audi’s swarm lights are made up of thousands of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).

These diodes can be added to any surface.



When an electrical charge is put through this organic material, the diodes light up.

Audi claims these lights mean drivers in cars behind can always see what the driver of the car in front is doing.

However, a spokesman from the AA had a different view, 'The Swarm is a delightful concept design but under current lighting regulations it is probably best saved for aquariums or art galleries.'

If they pass safety tests, the swarm lighting could replace the traditional braking lights on future Audi cars.



Audi unveiled its swarm lighting technology at the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas last week.



The German car maker also announced a laser tail light.

WHAT ARE OLEDs?

OLEDs are made up of thin films of organic particles. In the Audi example, these particles are spread thinly onto a flat, polished glass surface. It can also be spread onto flexible plastic surfaces, and will work as the surface bends and moves. The covering only needs be a few thousandths of a millimetre thick. When an electric charge is sent through the covering, the particles emit photons and any surface covered by the material lights up. The light and colours produced by OLEDs are brighter than LEDs because they are multi-layered. OLEDs are more energy-efficient because they use less electricity to produce a brighter light.

In good visibility, the laser tail light shines a fan-shaped red line from the back of the car.

It is used to prompt the driver behind to keep a safe distance, similar to a stop line.



In fog or spray, the laser beam bounces off the water in the air and turns the line into a triangle, similar to the warning triangle used on breakdowns.

