Centralized lighting system for a vehicle having a central light source automatically exchangable in the event of failure

In a lighting device for a vehicle, especially a motor vehicle, comprising at least one light source operable to produce light and at least one light guide extending from the at least one light source the light from the light source entering the light guide and being conducted to at least one light outlet, the improvement comprising a shifting means (26) having a control unit (36) and a sensor (37) connected to the control unit for observing one of the light sources in operation, and wherein a plurality of the light sources are provided, one of the light sources being located in an operating position and the light sources (11,22) being movable by the shifting means so as to be moved when the control unit (36) of the shifting means is activated in response to the sensor (37), so that, on failure of the light source (11) located in the operating position, the light source (11) located in the operating position is moved out of the operating position and another (22) of the light sources is moved into the operating position previously occupied by the light source (11) which has failed.