December 01, 2025

Driveway welcome wave

Create a stunning visual welcome when you arrive home by having lights ripple from the street toward your front door. This choreographed lighting sequence creates an impressive pathway effect that guides you home while adding security and curb appeal.

Use cases

Daily arrivals

Evening homecoming - Lights guide you from street to door after dark
Late night returns - Safe, well-lit path to your entrance
Guest arrivals - Impressive welcome for visitors

Security and ambiance

Deterrent effect - Active lighting discourages intruders
Pathway visibility - Clearly illuminated walkway prevents trips
Curb appeal - Dramatic effect impresses neighbors and guests

Products needed

Essential equipment

Smart outdoor lights

Popular brands: Philips Hue Outdoor, LIFX, Ring Smart Lighting, Govee
Multiple zones: Street/driveway entrance, pathway, gate area, front door

Arrival detection

Options: GPS geofencing, driveway motion sensor, garage door sensor, or car presence sensor
Platforms: Home Assistant, SmartThings, Hubitat with presence detection

Optional enhancements

Driveway motion sensor

Detects car approaching before reaching garage for earlier trigger

Color-capable lights

Add color effects like warm amber wave or holiday themes

💡 Light zone planning tip

Zone 1: Street/driveway entrance lights
Zone 2: Mid-driveway or pathway lights
Zone 3: Gate or garage area lights
Zone 4: Front porch and door lights

Basic automation setup

IF car detected in driveway OR geofence arrival AND time is after sunset THEN turn on street lights WAIT 1 second THEN turn on pathway lights WAIT 1 second THEN turn on gate lights WAIT 1 second THEN turn on front door lights

Triggers

Driveway motion sensor detects vehicle
OR phone GPS enters home zone
OR garage door begins opening

Conditions

Time-based: Only after sunset or before sunrise
Mode: Only when arriving (not when already home)
Cooldown: Don't repeat within 10 minutes

Actions

Turn on Zone 1 (street) lights to 100%
Wait 1-2 seconds
Turn on Zone 2 (pathway) lights to 100%
Wait 1-2 seconds
Turn on Zone 3 (gate) lights to 100%
Wait 1-2 seconds
Turn on Zone 4 (front door) lights to 100%

Platform-specific examples

Home Assistant

Trigger Person enters home zone OR driveway motion detected

Condition Sun is below horizon

Action Run script with sequential light activation and delays

Tip: Use a script with delay actions between each light zone

SmartThings

IF Member arrives at home

AND Time is between sunset and sunrise

THEN Activate welcome wave scene

Note: Create scene with timed light sequences using SmartThings Routines

Hubitat

Trigger Presence sensor arrives OR motion on driveway

Condition Mode is Night or time after sunset

Action Run Rule Machine sequence with delays

Setup: Use Rule Machine for complex sequencing with wait actions

Apple HomeKit

When First person arrives home

Condition After sunset

Do Activate welcome wave scene

Note: Use Shortcuts app for advanced sequencing with delays

Alexa

When Location: You arrive home

Condition Between sunset and sunrise

Action Turn on lights with wait actions between each zone

Google Home

Starter When first person arrives home

Condition After sunset

Action Activate arrival lighting scene

Note: May need third-party app for sequential delays

Advanced features

Color wave effect

Add color transitions for extra visual impact:

Warm amber wave from street to door
Cool white to warm white transition
Holiday colors for seasonal themes
Family member-specific colors (Dad = blue, Mom = purple)

Speed variations

Adjust timing based on context:

Normal arrival: 1-2 second delays between zones
Quick entry: 0.5 second delays
Dramatic effect: 3-4 second delays
Guest mode: Slower, more impressive wave

Per-person customization

Different effects for different family members:

Track which phone triggered arrival
Assign different colors or brightness per person
Kids get fun colors, adults get warm white

Common issues and solutions

Lights activate too late

Problem: Already at the door before lights start rippling.

Solutions:

Use GPS geofence trigger further from home (200-300m radius)
Add driveway motion sensor for earlier detection
Trigger on garage door opening instead of arrival
Use faster local processing (Zigbee/Z-Wave vs cloud)

Sequence feels disjointed

Problem: Lights don't flow smoothly from zone to zone.

Solutions:

Reduce delay time between zones (try 0.5-1 second)
Ensure all lights are on same protocol for consistent timing
Add transition time to lights so they fade on gradually
Test and adjust timing to match your walking pace

Triggers for other family members

Problem: Wave activates when already home and someone else arrives.

Solutions:

Add condition: Only if home mode was "Away"
Add cooldown period (don't repeat within 30 minutes)
Track if first person arriving (not subsequent arrivals)
Use car-specific detection if possible

Best practices

Light zone planning

Map out your driveway and pathway into 3-5 distinct zones
Ensure zones follow natural walking/driving path
Position lights to illuminate walkway, not just be decorative
Consider both car and pedestrian arrival paths
Test timing by walking the path while watching lights

What to avoid

Too many zones - 3-5 zones is ideal, more becomes chaotic
Delays too long - You'll arrive before the wave finishes
Bright flash - Use gradual transitions, not instant on
Daytime activation - Wastes energy and isn't visible anyway

Related automations: