Crash risks while driving at night are higher than during the daytime, but most roadways in the U.S. do not have roadway lighting.
In fact, many state and local governments find it difficult to pay for installing, operating and maintaining roadway lighting. Despite these concerns, the proportion of nighttime driving is not likely to go down in today’s round-the-clock economy, making car headlights increasingly important to nighttime driving safety. Through its Transportation Lighting and Safety program, the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is evaluating the potential for new lighting technologies and approaches to improve driving safety at night, including new car headlight systems.
Senior Research Scientist and Adjunct Assistant Professor John Bullough presented recent LRC research results at two international conferences dedicated to driving, vision, lighting and safety. At the International Symposium on Automotive Lighting (www.isal-symposium.de), held September 23-25 in Darmstadt, Germany, Bullough presented a paper entitled “Applying visual performance modeling to adaptive curve lighting safety data,” looking at swiveling or bending headlights that direct light into roadway curves. Visibility analyses from LRC field studies using these systems in comparison with conventional, stationary low-beam headlights led to estimates of reduced nighttime crash frequencies of almost 4% along low-speed, sharp roadway curves and between 1% and 2% along higher-speed, shallower curves.
Earlier, at the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology’s The Eye, The Brain and The Auto research congress (www.dioworldcongresses.com) held in Dearborn, Michigan from September 16-18, Bullough presented “Adaptive vehicle lighting, visual performance and safety,” a look at the potential safety benefits of adaptive or glare-free high beam headlight systems, which are beginning to appear on international vehicle models. These systems allow drivers to use high beam headlights while selectively dimming a portion of the beam when oncoming drivers are present, which prevents glare to the oncoming drivers while providing improved visibility along the rest of the road. The LRC’s analyses suggest that nighttime crashes might be reduced by nearly 7% when adaptive high beams are used, relative to using low beam headlights.
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Advanced Car Headlight Systems
- Advanced Tightening Tools Provide New Flexibility
Equipped with a built-in controller, the Nexo cordless nutrunner monitors and documents the fastening process without sacrificing ergonomics.
- Video: Why Mercedes Benz Permaseal Headlight Costs KSh 1.2m
Brite Auto Lights stated that the high cost of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class model headlamp assembly was due to its sophisticated technology and design.
- 2024 Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia Remove Physical Headlight Controls Following Growing GM Trend
Chevy Traverse and 2024 GMC Acadia no longer include physical headlight controls, following a growing GM design trend.
- Car headlights explained: LED, halogen, xenon, laser and future headlight tech
Over time, motorists’ desire to see where they were going in the dark has led to ever more advanced car headlight ... large sound systems all sap power from the engine), LED headlight units ...
- Nostalgia or Nightmare? The Twin Spots Headlight Era Revisited
The twin spots headlight design, often characterized by its two circular beams per headlight unit, was more than just a stylistic choice; it was a statement. It represented an era where car ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Advanced Car Headlight Systems
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Advanced Car Headlight Systems” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Car Headlight Systems
- Video: Why Mercedes Benz Permaseal Headlight Costs KSh 1.2m
Brite Auto Lights stated that the high cost of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class model headlamp assembly was due to its sophisticated technology and design.
- Car headlights explained: LED, halogen, xenon, laser and future headlight tech
Car headlights were once comparatively straightforward ... air-conditioning and large sound systems all sap power from the engine), LED headlight units have become popular. Use of these light ...
- 2024 Porsche Cayenne Review: SUV With the Soul of a Sports Car
The optional Porsche InnoDrive hands-on driver assist system has been improved with lane keeping and intersection assist.
- Nostalgia or Nightmare? The Twin Spots Headlight Era Revisited
The twin spots headlight design, often characterized by its two circular beams per headlight unit, was more than just a stylistic choice; it was a statement. It represented an era where car ...
- These Are The Worst Car Maintenance Tasks You’ve Ever Attempted
From fitting new headlights to replacing air filters, these are some of the toughest tasks you've ever undertaken on your cars.
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Car Headlight Systems
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Car Headlight Systems” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]