iDrive Is Red, MBUX Is Blue, MMI Is Sweet, but So Are You

That’s rhetorical. Of course, it sounds nice, otherwise the world's biggest premium carmakers wouldn’t be investing so much effort, energy, and money into ambient lighting. They know people like it because it can alter one’s mood for the better (#science).

Before we go any further, know that this isn’t some lovefest for German carmakers, it’s just that you won’t find many other brands offering you such a light show inside. Sure, Rolls-Royce really got it going on with their Starlight headliner, and while it’s really cool, it’s not particularly colorful.

The best ambient lighting systems nowadays will shine a color of your choosing not only within the footwells, around the dash trim, and on the door panels, but also around items such as the cup holders, vents, and speakers. Some models will even let you customize how the light behaves.

You could go the subtle route, with various non-premium brands offering such systems that aren’t particularly intrusive, but if you’ve sat inside a latest-generation Mercedes, BMW, and Audi model of the flagship variety, then you know it can get very bright in there, and maybe even a little romantic, should the mood strike.

Meanwhile, sticking to a Valentine’s Day theme is easy. Just program the system, whether it’s the latest MBUX, iDrive, or MMI, to display a red light throughout the interior.

Take Mercedes, for example - its ambient lighting systems can actively switch between different shades of a certain color. So you can go from a bright red to a powerful orange or a nice shade of pink, all of which are appropriate for Valentine’s. Purple is really nice, though, so maybe you can work that in as well.

It wasn’t that long ago that nobody was even doing this in the car industry. Yet, LED technology has come such a long way that you can now play around with lighting to your heart’s content, both inside and outside of vehicles.

We should also point out that having a tastefully lit car interior isn’t just about “bells and whistles”. Research shows that poor lighting can contribute to depression, while more light, in general, improves both mood and energy levels. Maybe that’s not going to matter as you’re driving home from a restaurant, but if you’re relaxed and feeling good, and maybe the drive is a couple of hours long, then ambient lighting can really make a difference.

As for the Valentine’s Day-ish colors we just mentioned, psychology says that overall brightness levels and saturation can amplify emotions. Light up the car interior, set a gift on the armrest for her/him to see as they’re getting in, and it will create a whole new atmosphere. Also, we suggest you stick with red, or a red-based theme at least, since this color usually portrays love, romance, energy, and passion.

It also portrays danger, mind you, like the type of danger you’ll be in if your partner didn’t enjoy her or his Valentine’s Day outing.