3M Lens Evens Out the Hot Spots in LED Taillights

The 2013 Buick Enclave crossover vehicle debuts a new taillamp lens from 3M that use a hollow "mixing cavity" to produce an evenly lit surface from only a few LEDs.

The company's Uniform Lighting Lens consists of a thin, hollow polycarbonate structure that contains a reflector and micropatterned sawtooth surface inside. Light bounces around inside the cavity and provides an evenly lit lens surface. An outer lens shields the microstructured 3M lens.

3M says its uniform lens system is highly customizable and lighter, more compact and cheaper to assemble than conventional LED tail lights.

Forming complex and extremely precise microscopic surfaces is one of 3M's core competencies. The company uses similar techniques to make several other products, including ultra-fine abrasive materials.