Vehicle center console with interior illumination

This invention relates to vehicle interior illumination and to center consoles used within passenger vehicles to provide user conveniences such as storage bins, cupholders, and armrests. A center console assembly for mounting in a vehicle between the driver and front passenger seats to provide occupant conveniences and interior illumination. The user conveniences include storage trays, cupholders, a main storage bin, and an armrest. The assembly includes an illumination system for illumination of the user conveniences at the console, as well as illumination of external vehicle interior components and regions, such as the driver and front passenger seat buckles and the front and rear occupant foot wells. The illumination system uses at least one light source and one or more waveguides to route light within the console so that multiple lighting functions can be obtained using a small number of individual light sources. The external components and areas are illuminated via side openings in the console, which permits the illumination system to be completely housed within the console so that no external routing of light is necessary.