SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VEHICLE SYSTEM DIAGNOSTICS, REPORTING, AND DOT COMPLIANCE

1 . A system of maintaining compliance with lighting requirements for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a light controller configured to monitor each connected light on the motor vehicle; and

an indicator display having an indicator corresponding to each of the connected lights on the motor vehicle; and

wherein a state of the indicator is changed when the light controller detects a failure of the corresponding connected light.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each indicator is a light capable of being in an off state and an on state; and

wherein the light changes from the off state to the on state when the light controller detects a failure of the corresponding connected light or the light changes from the on state to the off state when the light controller detects a failure of the corresponding connected light.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each indicator is a light capable of being in a blinking state; and

wherein the light changes from an on state or an off state to the blinking state when the light controller detects a failure of the corresponding connected light.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the connected lights include at least four lights selected from the group consisting of right front turn light, left front turn light, right rear tail light, right rear turn light, left rear tail light, left rear turn light, left headlight, right headlight, left brake light, and right brake light.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the light controller is configured detect a failure of each connected light when an operating parameter of each connected light exceeds a threshold range.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the operating parameter is a current through the connected light.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the light controller detects a failure if the current through the connected light exceeds the threshold range of +/−25% of a normal operating current.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the connected lights include two front headlights, wherein each of the two front headlights has a corresponding high beam light, and wherein the corresponding high beam light is activated when the light controller detects a failure of either of the two front headlights.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein a lighting intensity of the corresponding high beam light is reduced when activated in response to the failure of either of the two front headlights.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an ambient light sensor;

wherein the connected lights include two front headlights; and

wherein the two front headlights are activated when the ambient light sensor detects that ambient light has reached a predetermined darkness threshold.

11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an ambient light sensor;

wherein the connected lights include two front high beam lights;

wherein the two front high beam lights are activated when the ambient light sensor detects that ambient light has reached a predetermined darkness threshold; and

wherein the two front high beam lights are deactivated when the ambient light sensor detects headlights from an oncoming vehicle.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the connected lights include two front headlights pointed initially in a forward direction with respect to the motor vehicle and wherein, during a turn taken by the motor vehicle, the two front headlights rotate from pointing in the forward direction towards a direction of the turn.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the connected lights include a right brake light and a left brake light and wherein the light controller activates at least two rear hazard lights of the motor vehicle when the monitor system detects a failure in either one or both of the right brake light and left brake light.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the light controller detects when a door of the motor vehicle is opened and, in response to the opening of the door, an exterior light is activated that illuminates at least a portion of the ground proximal to the opened door of the motor vehicle.

15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the light controller detects when a cargo door of the motor vehicle is opened and, in response to the opening of the cargo door, an interior light is activated that illuminates a cargo hold of the motor vehicle.

16 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an object avoidance system configured to detect the presence of pedestrians in or near a path of movement of the motor vehicle, wherein, when the object avoidance system detects the presence of one or more pedestrians, an exterior light is directed at and illuminates the one or more pedestrians.

17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the exterior light is selected from the group consisting of front headlights of the motor vehicle, a spotlight mounted to the motor vehicle, and high beam lights of the motor vehicle.

18 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising

an ambient light sensor;

an object avoidance system configured to detect the presence of pedestrians in or near a path of movement of the motor vehicle; and

wherein the connected lights include a right brake light, a left brake light, and two front headlights;

wherein each of the two front headlights has a corresponding high beam light;

wherein the corresponding high beam light is activated when the light controller detects a failure of either of the two front headlights;

wherein a lighting intensity of the corresponding high beam light is reduced when activated in response to the failure of any of the at least two front headlights;

wherein the two front headlights and the high beam lights are activated when the ambient light sensor detects that ambient light has reached a predetermined darkness threshold;

wherein the high beam lights are deactivated when the ambient light sensor detects headlights from an oncoming vehicle;

wherein the at least two front headlights are pointed initially in a forward direction with respect to the motor vehicle and wherein, during a turn taken by the motor vehicle, the two front headlights rotate from pointing in the forward direction towards a direction of the turn;

wherein the light controller activates hazard lights of the motor vehicle when the monitor system detects a failure in either one or both of the right brake light and left brake light;

wherein the light controller detects when a door of the motor vehicle is opened and, in response to the opening of the door, an exterior light is activated that illuminates at least a portion of the ground proximal to the opened door of the motor vehicle;

wherein the light controller detects when a cargo door of the motor vehicle is opened and, in response to the opening of the cargo door, an interior light is activated that illuminates a cargo hold of the motor vehicle;

wherein, when the object avoidance system detects the presence of one or more pedestrians, an exterior light is directed at and illuminates the one or more pedestrians; and

wherein the exterior light is selected from the group consisting of at front headlights of the motor vehicle, a spotlight mounted to the motor vehicle, and high beam lights of the motor vehicle.

19 . A method of maintaining compliance with government lighting requirements for a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

monitoring each of a plurality of connected lights on the motor vehicle; and

changing a state of an indicator on an indicator display corresponding to each of the plurality of connected lights on the motor vehicle when a failure of the indicator's corresponding connected light is detected during the monitoring step.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of monitoring each connected light further comprises monitoring at least the right front headlight, left front headlight, right rear tail light, left rear tail light, right brake light, and left brake light.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of changing a state of an indicator further comprises changing the indicator from an off state to an on state, changing the indicator from an on state to an off state, changing the indicator from an off state to a blinking state, or changing the indicator from an on state to a blinking state.

22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of monitoring each connected light further comprises monitoring at least a right front headlight and a left front headlight and wherein the method further comprises the step of:

activating a high beam light corresponding the right front headlight, the left front headlight, or both the right and left front headlights when a failure has been detected in either or both the right front headlight or the left front headlight.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the step of activating a high beam light further comprises reducing a lighting intensity of the high beam light.

24 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising the step of:

tracking the timing of failures for each connected light; and

calculating a mean time for failure of each connected light.

25 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of tracking the timing of failures includes tracking at least one of engine hours, connected light run time, or miles driven before failure of each connected light.

26 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising the step of:

alerting a user that a service time of a connected light is within 90% of the mean time for failure of that connected light.

27 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising the step of:

initiating a routine check of each of the plurality of connected lights using a display external to the motor vehicle.

28 . A management system for a fleet of motor vehicles, the management system comprising:

a light controller configured to monitor and control a plurality of connected lights of a motor vehicle, wherein at least one light controller is provided for each motor vehicle of the fleet of motor vehicles; and

fleet management software configured to store information regarding an inventory of replacement parts and service time for the plurality of connected lights of each motor vehicle of the fleet of motor vehicles;

wherein information from the light controller regarding the plurality of connected lights of each motor vehicle is transmitted to the fleet management software such that, when the light controller detects a failure of a connected light, the fleet management software can determine whether a replacement part is presently in the inventory, and if necessary, automatically order a new replacement part.

29 . The management system of claim 28 , wherein the information from the light controller regarding the plurality of connected lights includes a mean time before failure for each of the connected lights.

30 . The management system of claim 29 , wherein the fleet management software generates an alert when the service time of a connected light is within 90% of the connected lights mean time before failure.