[ASKED] Advancements of Taillight Technology
 

Tadge
First and foremost I think the C7 taillights are a beautiful, geometrically complex, and integrated design that advanced the C7 generations rear fascia design. Observing the contentious hate affair over the loss of the traditional four simple and basic round taillights of the C6 generation I realize there are logical reasons for the C7's new design of its taillights. I've always thought there was a dual fresnel design function to the internal faceting of the taillight binnacles. Since round taillights have a concentric facet configuration internally they can only send light straight out and still retain a symmetric faceted look. All four of the C7's taillights have sloped bottoms and sloped sides to splay light wide and in a downward direction. Can this design send light straight out when the car is in forward motion and can they also send light in a downward direction when put in reverse thereby lighting the roadway for the backup camera? In effect having a dual functioning use and eliminating separate backup lights. Could you also reveal any new lighting functions that these new generations of LED taillights can accomplish?

The advancement of lighting for automobiles has been at a quick pace in the last decade. We've gone from acetylene and oil lamps in the late 1800's to electric lamps of a wide variety beginning in 1904 and evolving through today with filament headlamps and high-intensity discharge headlamps illuminated with everything from tungsten to Xenon and on to LED. Curiously, Cadillac has had heavy involvement in early development of electric headlamps and tail-lamps. Without getting into a longer dissertation of the history of auto lights, it is fascinating to know that the power source is no longer alone in what is used to evolve technology in automobile lights. It is, as you've mentioned, the lenses that have as much attention of late. Non-uniform multi-faceted reflector lenses are very interesting as they do seem to be able to direct different colors of light when being viewed from different angles. It will be very interesting to hear from Tadge how GM is utilizing this in, specifically, the taillights of Corvettes.

This remains a great question and one that I, for one, would love to hear Tadge's take on. Where is the inquisitive nature of Corvette aficionados? This is likely to be on the next model and/or platform.