A lighting apparatus for vehicles, comprising a light source and comprising an optical unit for generating a specified light distribution, wherein the optical unit has an optical element with a light entry surface for coupling in light emitted by the light source and with a light exit surface, disposed at a distance from the light entry surface, for coupling out the light that has been input coupled at the light entry surface and guided along the principal light guiding direction within the optical element, wherein the optical element is embodied as a layered body with a plurality of layers, wherein at least a number of the layers respectively have sections of materials with different refractive indices.