Common cavity lighting assembly using auto shading

A lighting assembly comprising:

• an outer lens coated with an auto-shading film, the auto-shading film comprising discrete substructures which vary in alignment in response to an electric field, thereby varying a transmittance through the outer lens;
• a primary light source positioned behind the outer lens, the primary light source configured to emit light through the auto-shading film and the outer lens;
• a secondary light source positioned on an edge sidewall of the outer lens, the secondary light source configured to emit light into the outer lens, wherein the outer lens and the auto-shading film collectively serve as a light guide for light emitted from the secondary light source into the outer lens;
• and
• a wire embedded in the auto-shading film;
• wherein the primary light source and the secondary light source are positioned within a common cavity of the lighting assembly.

A method comprising:

• coating an outer lens of a lighting assembly with an auto-shading film, the auto-shading film comprising discrete substructures which vary in alignment in response to an electric field, thereby varying a transmittance through the outer lens, wherein the auto-shading film comprises a first transmittance when in a first state and a second transmittance greater than the first transmittance when in a second state;
• positioning a primary light source behind the outer lens, the primary light source configured to emit light through the auto-shading film and the outer lens;
• positioning a secondary light source on an edge sidewall of the outer lens, the secondary light source configured to emit light into the outer lens, wherein the outer lens and the auto-shading film collectively serve as a light guide for light emitted from the secondary light source into the outer lens;
• embedding a wire in the auto-shading film;
• electrically coupling a controller to the wire, the controller configured to direct a switching voltage to a switch to change a state of the switch, thereby causing the wire to deliver the electric field to the discrete substructures;
• receiving a call for high beams;
• and
• responsive to the call for high beams, switching the auto-shading film, via the controller, to the second state.