Physically based simulation with accurate predictions for automotive lighting
- When: February 4–5, 2026
- Where: Olympia Park, Munich, Germany
- Booth: SH8
- “Eliminating Guesswork with Predictive Optical Simulation” - with Covestro
Eclat Digital is happy to take part in the DVN Munich Lighting Workshop, a technical forum for automotive lighting that involves OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, material manufacturers, and research organizations. This 2026 edition focuses on a long-term perspective: how automotive lighting systems will evolve by 2035, and how development methods must adapt accordingly.
Visit our booth SH8, during the two-day event. Come listen to our presentation on February 5th at 11am to learn how using Ocean™ optical simulation helped Covestro reduce physical prototypes, as well as the time and costs associated with the development of their Infinity Light Demonstrator.
Engineering light propagation
Full-system optical simulation to model light propagation in thin-wall polycarbonate components.
Ocean™ is a physically based optical simulation tool, calibrated and validated to deliver physically accurate predictions of real parts and lighting systems.
Use optical simulation to address current development constraints:
Lighting systems are complex at several levels simultaneously:
- high functional integration (lighting + display + communication),
- material and process variability,
- tight production timing constraints,
- low tolerance for late-stage design changes.
In this context, simulation is not just a visualization step; it is used as a validation tool that provides predictive and measurable results. This is precisely why Ocean™ was developed. Without approximating physical accuracy, Ocean™ supports the decision-making process by providing trustworthy and actionable digital prototypes.
Ocean™: Optical simulation based on physical models
Ocean™ is an optical simulation software designed for the validation of appearance and performance. It’s not a styling preview or an aesthetic rendering; it shows you the truth to help you make development decisions.
Its core principle is simple: measure what can be simulated and simulate what can be measured. It provides material appearance simulation based on measured optical data.
Key characteristics:
- Spectral, photometric, and radiometric simulation of automotive lighting systems and more
- Simulation of light–matter interaction based on physical optics
- Material models generated from real materials and lighting measurements (polymers, coatings, films, pigments)
- Multi-scale, system-level optical simulation for validation (light source, optics, materials, environment)
Ocean™: System-level lighting simulation including environment:
Ocean™ enables the reliable observation of optical behavior in situ, the comparative analysis of digital iterations and the validation of components and system performance. It complements optical design software by validating how real materials and geometries behave once integrated into a complete lighting system.
Automotive lighting use cases addressed at DVN
At DVN Munich, we focus on practical use cases where the software is used when correlation between simulation and manufactured parts is required.
Exterior & interior lighting systems
- Lighting system appearance control in a full scale environment
- Light signature consistency & user’s comfort (day/night, viewing angles)
- Impact of material and geometry variations
Materials optimization
- Thin-wall polymer optical simulation or multi-stacks evaluations
- Virtual evaluation of alternative materials, geometry or patterns
- Reducing physical prototyping loops
Illuminated panels and functional surfaces
- Luminance and homogeneity control
- Film, texture, and coating integration
- Early validation of the impact of manufacturing tolerances on lighting appearance
Development workflow integration
- Shared reference between design, R&D, suppliers
- Earlier convergence before tooling
- Reduced reliance on late-stage physical samples
Reducing uncertainty in lighting developments with predictive simulation:
In contexts where micro-details matter, images should validate, not just convey aesthetic vision. The quality of the data must be maintained, and the results must be verifiable and analyzable.
Ocean™ is a physically based optical simulation software and supports this by:
- linking optical performance and visual appearance in the same simulation
- enabling quantitative comparison between options
- providing results that correlate with measurements and real parts
- integrating with CAD, material databases, and photometric data
- providing open format for input & output data and suffers no approximations on physical accuracy
This approach supports first-time-right decisions, particularly in programs where physical iterations are costly or limited. Ocean™ is used when correlation between simulation and manufactured parts is required.
Deep Dives: Science Behind the Simulation
Unlike lighting design tools focused on beam shaping or regulation compliance, Ocean™ is designed for predictive validation of material-driven appearance. If your work involves automotive lighting systems, illuminated surfaces, or material-driven appearance, we will be glad to exchange on how predictive optical simulation fits into current and future workflows.
If you want to go further into the scientific foundations:
See Ocean™ in Action
📍 Visit us at Booth SH8 to see how Ocean™ digitalizes the workflow, from measurement to predictive optical simulation.
Schedule a meeting with our team to explore how Eclat Digital can support your projects!
Responses