Ford Europe has come up with a headlamp system that illuminates a bent road and lights up intersections much before the car approaches. Read more on Ford Europe’s Predictive Headlight System below
Ford Europe has come up with a headlamp technology that works in sync with the car’s GPS system. The headlamp system constantly reads the real-time GPS location information along with the geometry of the road through cameras and other sensors. The system then runs an algorithm to calculate a trajectory and the speed of the vehicle to illuminate the specific parts of the road by adjusting the light beams and providing sufficient illumination on bends, junctions, and intersections.
If the system encounters roads to which location data isn’t available. The system will still function based on readings from the cameras and steering inputs of the driver. The system will then use largely infrared to point out and illuminate the hidden hazards.
The system is currently in the prototype stage and is being developed by Ford Research and Advanced Engineering Europe. “This new map and location-based system is the next step on our quest to make driving at night no more difficult or stressful as during the day,” said Michael Koherr, Advanced Lighting Research Engineer, Ford of Europe
Illuminating the road for an improved night-driving experience has come a long way. Cars came equipped with more powerful lights and then adaptive headlamp technology was introduced. In the recent past, sensor-based headlamps were getting common on premium cars that sensed on-coming traffic, pedestrians, and signboards and illuminated the road accordingly. Not to mention the progress from clear lens headlamps with halogen bulbs to projectors and now LED-based assemblies. Ford’s new GPS-based Predictive Headlight System is expected to be in the final stages in the coming months and could debut in their affordable range of hatchbacks and SUVs in international markets.
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