Magna Breakthrough Lighting turns any body panel into a light.

Automotive supplier Magna on Thursday unveiled lighting hardware that can be integrated with vehicle body panels. Magna said in a press release that the product, dubbed "Breakthrough Lighting," is expected to go into production in 2023.

Magna is initially mounting Breakthrough Lighting on a thermoplastic liftgate dubbed "Litgate." However, Magna stated that the same hardware can be applied to other vehicle panels with similar thermoplastic materials.

In the demo setup, the lighting elements are installed where the regular taillights would be, but are hidden until they are turned on. Customers can choose from a "rich color palette" of these lights, Magna said.

Breakthrough Lighting seems to be intended, at least in part, as a design feature. Integrated lighting could be used for decorative purposes, Magna noted. It may also give designers more freedom because they do not have to design dedicated lighting elements.

Magna also notes that it "refines communication between the user, the vehicle, and the surroundings." Using exterior lights to flash signals to other vehicles and pedestrians has been discussed as a way to improve safety, especially for autonomous vehicles. Without human drivers making eye contact or using hand signals, autonomous vehicles may need other ways to communicate with other road users.

Homologating this technology in the United States has been difficult in the past, but regulatory changes have made it a possibility. The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) approved adaptive matrix LED headlights earlier this year, finally catching up with the rest of the market. With the loosening of regulations, other new lighting technologies could be approved as well.