Light engines with dynamically controllable light distribution

A vehicle interior lighting system comprising:

• a vehicle sensor system configured to generate information based on at least one of occupancy detection, object detection, passenger detection, weight detection, pressure detection, driver identification via a driver seat image, passenger identification via a passenger seat image, an identifier, a mobile device, a user input, historical data, gaze detection, occupant positioning, a vehicle component, and a vehicle component mode;
• independently addressable light emitting diode (LED) segments disposed to illuminate different areas of an interior of a vehicle, each of the independently addressable LED segments comprising at least one LED;
• a processor configured to receive the information from the vehicle sensor system and generate a control signal based on the information;
• and
• a controller configured to provide, based on the control signal, at least one light control signal to modify at least one emission characteristic of the at least one LED of at least one of the independently addressable LED segments, the controller configured to provide a spot of reduced horizontal illumination surrounding or on a moving object within the vehicle to follow the moving object based on the information.

A method of adjusting light in a vehicle, the method comprising:

• providing independently addressable light emitting diode (LED) segments on an outer surface of a support structure to illuminate different areas of an interior of a vehicle, each of the independently addressable LED segments comprising at least one LED;
• receiving information from a vehicle sensor system within the vehicle and generating a control signal based on the information, the information comprising at least one vehicle characteristic selected from a set of vehicle characteristics including occupancy information within the vehicle, vehicular control information, and environmental information external to the vehicle;
• and
• providing, based on the control signal, at least one light control signal to modify at least one emission characteristic of the at least one LED of at least one of the independently addressable LED segments, the at least one emission characteristics including a spot of reduced horizontal illumination surrounding or on a moving object within the vehicle to follow the moving object based on the information.