U.S. researchers propose self dimming high beams

[LEDninja]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNe...AUTOS_headlights_090203/20090203?s_name=Autos

TROY, N.Y. -- U.S. researchers may have refined a way to help with the old problem of high-beam headlights temporarily blinding oncoming drivers.

After studying roadway glare for two years, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Lighting Research Center said their rough prototype blocks a measured slice of an auto's light beam projecting into the other lane.

Bullough and Rea propose driving with high beams on all the time, but with the system that can sense oncoming traffic and self dim in the appropriate direction.

It can be done with a simple shadow-making shim, as in the Troy lab. On newer LED headlights, selected diodes can be dimmed at the appropriate time.

Such dimming systems could also be used to protect drivers ahead from rearview mirror glare.

 

[LukeA]

But does it dim the ******* in the pickup going twice the limit with his highs on all the time?

 

[-Virgil-]

There was a Detroit News "report" on this a couple days ago, too, which was longer and even less factual. This is not a new American proposal or invention; the Europeans have been developing it for several years. Do a Google search on the quoted phrase "glare-free high beam"; see for example this Hella PDF. Note that "glare-free high beam" is the name Hella uses; other major automotive lighting suppliers (Stanley, Ichikoh, Koito in Japan; Valeo, AL-Automotive Lighting, ZKW in Europe) have also been actively developing (under various names) exactly what's described in the linked article: a camera-driven system wherein slices and/or spots are selectively and dynamically blacked out of a high-beam light distribution to keep bright light out of other road users' eyes while maximizing drivers' forward vision. A progress report was presented at the SAE Congress early last year, and it was in AROQ's 2007 automotive lighting technology report.

The RPI-LRC study mentioned in the CTV and Detroit News articles was in fact looking at devising performance requirements for such a system, for eventual incorporation into technical regulations.

 

[Ken_McE]

Wouldn't it be a lot less fuss to just polarize headlights one way and windshields the other way?

 

[Illum]

But does it dim the ******* in the pickup going twice the limit with his highs on all the time?

While that for most cases it may yield sufficient remedy, some cases you just have to fight fire with fire

 

[JohnR66]

Wouldn't it be a lot less fuss to just polarize headlights one way and windshields the other way?

bad idea. Have you ever noticed how dark a polarizer filter is? the windshield would be like sunglasses at night.

 

[rushnrockt]

bad idea. Have you ever noticed how dark a polarizer filter is? the windshield would be like sunglasses at night.

And what happens to your own light?

 

[-Virgil-]

Polarization of headlamps and windshields was seriously studied and abandoned many years ago. The light losses are far too great, and even way back when all cars had only a few different kinds of headlamps, the cost and difficulty of retrofitment would've been staggering. With non-standardised headlamps and big, costly windshields we now have, the cost and difficulty would be even greater. And it would be an all-or-nothing deal; a mix of polarized and unpolarized cars would not work. And now we have traffic density such that the backlight and side glass of every vehicle would have to be polarized, otherwise side- and rear-mirror glare would be dangerously high.

Just too many problems to be practical or practicable.

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

*starts singing:"
I wear my sunglasses at night, so I can *mumble mumble don't know the rest of the words mumble*

Never heard of that polarization study, had the makings of a good idea, almost. Just not cost effective, huh?

 

[lildave]

I have an 05 jeep and I have self dimming highbeams but I can also turn that feature off.

 

[LEDobsession]

*starts singing:"
I wear my sunglasses at night, so I can *mumble mumble don't know the rest of the words mumble*

Haha I think thats all the words anyone knows to that song.

 

[300winmag]

Everybody using new night vision technology would eliminate this problem...:nana:

 

[Alaric Darconville]

"U.S. researchers propose absolving drivers of their responsibility to pull their heads out when driving"

Seriously-- what ever happened to turning on your lights when it's dark, dipping the high beams when traffic approaches, turning on the wipers when it rains, and stepping on the brakes when you want to stop?

 

[-Virgil-]

Seriously-- what ever happened to turning on your lights when it's dark, dipping the high beams when traffic approaches, turning on the wipers when it rains, and stepping on the brakes when you want to stop?

Oh, puh-leeze, that is, like, so last century. OMG, who has time for any of that, like, "proper" stuff any more? I'm too busy talking on my cell phone, putting on a DVD for the kids, and texting. The lights on a car are automatic, right? So I don't, like, have to, like, think about them. I have, like, fog lights and stuff; I just leave all the switches on all the time. Besides, hello, duh, I drive an SUV/Mercedes/Lexus/BMW, so who cares what lesser people think of my driving?

Seriously, though, this "always-on high beam, with slices and spots dynamically darkened to prevent glare" idea has a great deal of merit, and once implemented will greatly improve nighttime safety. Low beams — even the best low beams — are just plain not adequate for the speeds we actually drive at night.

 

[LEDobsession]

I'm too busy talking on my cell phone, putting on a DVD for the kids, and texting. The lights on a car are automatic, right? So I don't, like, have to, like, think about them. I have, like, fog lights and stuff; I just leave all the switches on all the time. Besides, hello, duh, I drive an SUV/Mercedes/Lexus/BMW, so who cares what lesser people think of my driving?

Haha. That sounds about like every jerk around where I live but then theres a lot of lifted trucks that dont ever re-aim their lights so the low beams are just as bad as the highs. And seriously, what is the deal with fog lights on when theres no dang fog!!??

Seriously, though, this "always-on high beam, with slices and spots dynamically darkened to prevent glare" idea has a great deal of merit, and once implemented will greatly improve nighttime safety. Low beams — even the best low beams — are just plain not adequate for the speeds we actually drive at night.

Im curious as to how well this will work out. It sounds pretty legit.

 

[MichaelW]

What ever happened to that BMW navigation system that would project directional arrows on the pavement (I think is was some kind of DLP system)?

 

[John_Galt]

Oh, puh-leeze, that is, like, so last century. OMG, who has time for any of that, like, "proper" stuff any more? I'm too busy talking on my cell phone, putting on a DVD for the kids, and texting. The lights on a car are automatic, right? So I don't, like, have to, like, think about them. I have, like, fog lights and stuff; I just leave all the switches on all the time. Besides, hello, duh, I drive an SUV/Mercedes/Lexus/BMW, so who cares what lesser people think of my driving?

This sounds like just about every teenage driver in my area (but you have to replace Mercedes/Lexus/BMW with "shitty little Honda's with big wings and rust holes"). Personally I think that instead of self-dimming high beams, we should just make the driving test here in the USA much more difficult. It should be at least three hours (under different conditions ie; rainy, snowy, foggy) over the length of the driving permit. If you don't dim your headlights while driving with the instructor, or fail to drive defensively/politely with them in the vehicle, you should fail.

**Fake Edit** It should also be very expensive to get your driving test, say like, $1000, so that you actually have to work hard to even be considered to drive. Just my opinion, but I think that just these changes would go a long way towards making this country easier to drive in.

 

[MichaelW]

I think that articulating [swiveling] low beams would be more helpful than 'dynamic positioning' high beams

 

[270winchester]

**Fake Edit** It should also be very expensive to get your driving test, say like, $1000, so that you actually have to work hard to even be considered to drive. Just my opinion, but I think that just these changes would go a long way towards making this country easier to drive in.

I hope that was a poor attempt at a joke.

Because we all know rich kids drive much better than poor people's kids.:thinking:

 

[LEDobsession]

Personally I think that instead of self-dimming high beams, we should just make the driving test here in the USA much more difficult. It should be at least three hours (under different conditions ie; rainy, snowy, foggy) over the length of the driving permit. If you don't dim your headlights while driving with the instructor, or fail to drive defensively/politely with them in the vehicle, you should fail.

**Fake Edit** It should also be very expensive to get your driving test, say like, $1000, so that you actually have to work hard to even be considered to drive. Just my opinion, but I think that just these changes would go a long way towards making this country easier to drive in.

Have you taken this test yet? Haha. Just kidding. I Had to ask because if I remember right you cant drive yet.