Vehicle interior lighting system including graphically alterable panel

A vehicle, comprising:

• a light source that emits visible light;
• a trim component having a show surface arranged to be visible within a passenger compartment of the vehicle wherein the trim component defines at least part of an interior surface of a vehicle door, a vehicle seat, a center console, a headliner, cover received over a vehicle pillar or a dashboard separate from an information display and gauges on the dashboard;
• a graphically alterable panel including light reflectors that move when an actuating electrical signal is applied to the graphically alterable panel;
• and
• a control system coupled to the graphically alterable panel, the control system including or controlling a power supply adapted to selectively provide the actuating electrical signal to the graphically alterable panel to cause movement of at least some of the light reflectors, wherein light emitted from the light source is reflected off the graphically alterable panel and wherein movement of the light reflectors changes the reflectivity of the light reflectors such that movement of the light reflectors changes the reflection of light off of the graphically alterable panel and the appearance of the show surface, and wherein the graphically alterable panel defines at least part of the show surface of the interior trim component or the graphically alterable panel is arranged to reflect light onto the show surface of the interior trim component, wherein the interior trim component is a first interior trim component and wherein the vehicle includes a second interior trim component mounted adjacent to the first interior trim component and wherein a continuous pattern is displayed on the first interior trim component and the second interior trim component.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a light source that emits visible light;
• a trim component having a show surface arranged to be visible within a passenger compartment of the vehicle wherein the trim component defines at least part of an interior surface of a vehicle door, a vehicle seat, a center console, a headliner, cover received over a vehicle pillar or a dashboard separate from an information display and gauges on the dashboard;
• a graphically alterable panel including light reflectors that move when an actuating electrical signal is applied to the graphically alterable panel;
• and
• a control system coupled to the graphically alterable panel, the control system including or controlling a power supply adapted to selectively provide the actuating electrical signal to the graphically alterable panel to cause movement of at least some of the light reflectors, wherein light emitted from the light source is reflected off the graphically alterable panel and wherein movement of the light reflectors changes the reflectivity of the light reflectors such that movement of the light reflectors changes the reflection of light off of the graphically alterable panel and the appearance of the show surface, and wherein the graphically alterable panel defines at least part of the show surface of the interior trim component and the light source is located behind the interior trim component and projects light through an opening, where the opening is defined between the interior trim component and another component, or the opening is defined in the interior trim component.