(R)EVOLUTION Hector Fratty

Hector Fratty – Automotive Lighting and Innovation at Valeo

Automotive lighting is much more than just an accessory: it directly affects the safety of drivers and passengers by ensuring optimal visibility at night and in bad weather. Its history is marked by innovations that have transformed the way we drive, and one of the companies that has played a key role in this evolution is Valeo.

In 1980, Société Anonyme Française du Ferodo changed its name to Valeo. This repositioning was accompanied by an ambitious strategy: to focus resolutely on innovation and strengthen its role in the global automotive industry. This focus quickly bore fruit, particularly in the field of lighting.

In the mid-1990s, Hector Fratty took over as head of the Lighting Research & Development department. A visionary and passionate leader, he drove a dynamic that would usher in a new era in automotive lighting. Between 1995 and 2006, he led a team of more than 650 engineers and contributed directly to the filing of nearly 20 patents. This intense research activity accompanied the rise of solutions that would gradually become active safety standards.

Optimised halogen headlights represent an important first step, improving light distribution and increasing visibility without dazzling other road users. Next came discharge (or xenon) lights, whose light intensity and range far exceed those of traditional systems. Finally, in the early 2000s, Valeo established itself as a pioneer in the development and democratisation of adaptive LED systems. These technologies, capable of automatically adjusting the intensity and orientation of light beams, offer drivers unrivalled visual comfort while significantly improving safety.

Thanks to these advances, Valeo has established itself as one of the world leaders in active safety equipment. The company has demonstrated that high-performance lighting is not only a technical or aesthetic asset, but also a fundamental element of road safety. The legacy of this period, marked by the boldness and expertise of Hector Fratty and his teams, remains visible today in the most modern lighting technologies: LED matrix lights, laser systems and intelligent solutions integrated into driver assistance systems.

From its transformation in 1980 to its technological successes in the following decades, Valeo has demonstrated the power of innovation applied to a vital area of the automotive industry. Each advance in lighting reminds us how much the quest for visibility and safety remains at the heart of the driving experience, and how much the ingenuity of yesterday continues to inspire the innovations of today.