Exterior light and charge indicator
Electric vehicles indicate charge levels in different ways. A lighting control module is communicatively is configured to illuminate an exterior light of an electric vehicle to indicate a charge status of a battery for the electric vehicle. The charge status is indicated based on varying an intensity of the exterior light, based on illuminating a subset of the exterior lights, and/or based on an animation. The display of the charge indicator varies based on a location of the vehicle, the presence of a person in proximity to the vehicle, and/or a charger connected to the vehicle.
1. A charge indicator system for an electric vehicle, comprising:
a light; and
a light control module configured to:
determine that the electric vehicle is charging;
based on the determining:
illuminate a first region of the light and a second region of the light;
move the illuminated first region and the illuminated second region inward towards each other from initial positions; and
return the illuminated first region and the illuminated second region to their initial positions.
2. The charge indicator system of claim 1 , wherein the light is located on an exterior of the electric vehicle.
3. The charge indicator system of claim 1 , wherein the light control module is further configured to illuminate the light at a constant intensity during operation of the electric vehicle.
4. The charge indicator system of claim 1 , wherein the light control module is further configured to:
detect a charging fault; and
in response to detecting the charging fault, illuminate the light at a varying intensity.
5. The charge indicator system of claim 1 , wherein the light comprises a plurality of light segments.
6. The charge indicator system of claim 5 , wherein the light further comprises a plurality of lamps, wherein a first subset of the plurality of light segments are located in a first lamp and wherein a second subset of the plurality of segments are located in a second lamp.
7. The charge indicator system of claim 6 , wherein the first lamp is located on a left side of the electric vehicle and wherein the second lamp is located on a right side of the electric vehicle.
8. The charge indicator system of claim 1 , wherein the light control module is further configured to:
illuminate the light with a first color during operation of the electric vehicle; and
illuminate the light with a second color during charging.
9. The charge indicator system of claim 8 , wherein the second color is blue.
10. The charge indicator system of claim 1 , wherein the light control module is further configured to:
detect the presence of a person, and
illuminate the light to indicate the charge status responsive to detecting the presence of the person.
11. A method for indicating a charge of an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
determining, using processing circuitry, that the electric vehicle is charging; and
in response to determining that the electric vehicle is charging:
illuminating, using the processing circuitry, a first region of a light and a second region of the light, wherein the light is located on an exterior of the electric vehicle;
moving the illuminated first region and the illuminated second region inward towards each other from initial positions; and
returning the illuminated first region and the illuminated second region to their initial positions.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the light is located on an exterior of the electric vehicle.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising illuminating, using the processing circuitry, the light at a constant intensity during operation of the electric vehicle.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
detecting, using the processing circuitry, a charging fault; and
in response to detecting the charging fault, illuminating the light at a varying intensity.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the light comprises a plurality of light segments.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the light further comprises a plurality of lamps, wherein a first subset of the plurality of light segments are located in a first lamp and wherein a second subset of the plurality of segments are located in a second lamp.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first lamp is located on a left side of the electric vehicle and wherein the second lamp is located on a right side of the electric vehicle.
18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
illuminating the light with a first color during operation of the electric vehicle; and
illuminating the light with a second color during charging.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second color is blue.
20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
detecting the presence of a person, and
illuminating the light to indicate the charge status responsive to detecting the presence of the person.