Hector Fratty

As we celebrate the future possibilities brought to the fore by the centenary of electric vehicle lighting in the International Year of Light, we also recall in Lighting: the Soul of Car Design those proud names of those companies whose hard work laid the foundation for today’s blazing pace of innovation in car lights.

Bosch: “The technical leader in lighting”

Bosch Lighting started in 1913 when Robert Bosch decided to produce a complete suite of electrical components for the car. This included the generator, starter, battery and the lighting equipment. Obviously Robert Bosch was inspired by the battery driven headlamps that were on the market since 1908 and the success of the Cadillac that had started with all-electrical components (starter, battery, lamps) in 1912 in the U.S. The first Bosch reflectors, in accord with industry standard practice, were made of stamped brass and then silver plated. Later, Bosch and the rest of the industry changed to less expensive, more durable stamped steel with lacquered aluminum coating. In 1999, Bosch and Magneti Marelli founded their joint ventur Automotive Lighting; in 2003, Bosch decided to exit the lighting market and sold their stake of AL to Magneti Marelli.

Carello: “The first to produce electric headlamps”