How headlights illuminate the road ahead isn't always so simple. Besides
using brighter and more efficient bulbs, many new headlights actively
adapt to changing road conditions. Adaptive headlights let drivers see
farther, around corners, and past traffic. But how exactly do they
work?To get more news about
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What Are Adaptive Headlights?
Adaptive headlights are headlights that actively respond to changing
conditions. Their goal is to provide drivers with better visibility and
more time to react to conditions ahead. It's a term that encompasses
several different features, most common of which is curve-adaptive
headlights. These headlights have bulbs that pivot in accordance with
the vehicle's direction of travel—and sometimes speed.
The term adaptive headlights can refer to other types of adaptation,
such as automatic high beams. These headlights automatically switch
between low beams and high beams in the presence of traffic. It's also
used to indicate adaptive driving beams. These headlights use complex
LED arrays to minimize dazzling other drivers.Curve-adaptive headlights
have bulbs that pivot toward the vehicle's direction of travel. As the
driver turns the steering wheel left or right, or as sensors detect a
curvature in the road, the headlights pivot in that direction to better
illuminate what's in the vehicle's path. Some curve-adaptive headlights
also change the bulbs' angle in relation to vehicle speed to project
closer or further.
Cornering lights is another term that is sometimes used to describe
curve-adaptive headlights. More specifically, though, cornering lights
are auxiliary lights next to or near the main headlights. It's a simple
system that predates modern curve-adaptive headlights.
Whereas many curve-adaptive headlights physically pivot the bulbs in the
vehicle's direction of travel, cornering lights are fixed in place.
They automatically activate on the side where the steering wheel is
turned, or where the turn signal is activated. As the driver returns the
steering wheel to center or the turn signal deactivates, the cornering
light switches off. The goal is to temporarily illuminate the area in
the vehicle's direction of travel. Cornering lights have been used in
cars for decades, and some new models still use them today.
What Are Automatic High Beams?
Automatic high beams are high beams that turn on and off automatically
without the driver having to activate them. Unlike conventional high
beams, which must be manually engaged, automatic high beams are on by
default. A sensor detects the lights of nearby vehicles, whether it's
the taillights of vehicles moving in the same direction, or the
headlights of vehicles approaching in oncoming lanes. The sensor turns
the high beams off to avoid dazzling those drivers. When there are no
other vehicles around, the high beams switch back on to enhance
visibility. Although vehicles with automatic high beams default to full
brightness, they still let the driver manually control the low beams or
high beams if, for example, they want to make sure they don't blind
oncoming traffic for the instant between the car recognizing another
vehicle and switching back to low beams.Adaptive driving beams (ADB) are
a newer, high-tech type of adaptive headlight. In fact, ADB headlights
are so advanced that they're prohibited in the U.S. Instead of using
distinct bulbs for low and high beams, ADB lights are made up of many
individual, very bright LEDs. How the brightness of each LED can be
precisely controlled makes ADB headlights special.
When sensors detect other cars, software responds by dimming the
LEDs—but only the ones that project onto those vehicles. Meanwhile, the
LEDs that aren't shining on the other vehicles maintain full brightness.
Each LED adjusts dynamically to other vehicles' positions. In this way,
there's bright illumination around those vehicles, but less on them.
Think of ADB headlights as illuminating what's ahead, but projecting
"shadow" on other cars to minimize dazzling their drivers.
As smart and high-tech as adaptive driving beams are, they're not
offered in the U.S. Why? Blame FMVSS 108, a regulation within the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard mandating that cars sold in the
U.S. must have distinct low beam and high beam patterns. ADB headlights
dynamically adapt their pattern and don't meet that requirement. Various
automakers have petitioned the NHTSA to modify FMVSS 108 and allow ADB
headlights, but a compromise hasn't been reached.
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