8.12.2004
Lighting technology of the future: multi-functional headlamps

Over 80 percent of all road traffic accidents occur in darkness and bad weather – a compelling reason for engineers at the International Technical Development Center (ITDC) to put their efforts into developing the next generation of intelligent lighting systems with multi-functional swiveling headlamps. The aim is to improve visibility for the driver and so achieve a significant increase in road safety and driving comfort.

Today, Opel/Vauxhall are leading in the field of car lighting technology: in 2003, Opel/Vauxhall were the first car manufacturers to bring dynamic curve light and the 90-degree cornering light to the mid-size segment with its Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL). The Vectra and Signum are still the only cars to offer Bi-Xenon headlamps, which combine both these functions in the headlamp assembly. As the first compact car with Bi-Xenon-based AFL front headlamps, the new Opel/Vauxhall Astra pioneered the use of dynamic curve lights and adaptive highway lights in the best-selling segment of Europe's car market.

Engineers at the ITDC in Rüsselsheim are currently developing the next-generation AFL. This puts Opel/Vauxhall in an excellent position to strengthen their leading role in modern headlamp technology.

With next-generation AFL, the headlamps' light distribution automatically orients itself to the prevailing road and visibility conditions. When traveling quickly in a straight line, for instance on the highway, a far-reaching beam of light is needed. The requirements in an urban environment are quite different: here, the broadest possible blanket of light brings sources of danger and important signals on the car's periphery into the driver's field of vision.

Thanks to an additional mirror/lens system, on country roads, the road ahead and bends are illuminated even more consistently and accurately than with today's AFL system. For all functions, the engineers consider linking the light controls with satellite navigation systems. When provided with this more exact road information, the system would be able to adapt to bends or hilltops accurately and in good time. The bad weather light also ensures that the driver sees more in rain, snow or fog without, for example, being disturbed by light reflecting off the road surface. This is achieved by reducing the strength of the central illuminated area in favor of two cones of light, which have a middle-distance range and point towards the edges of the road. The lighting technology specialists´main objective is to achieve the best possible visibility for drivers in all conditions while eliminating glare for oncoming traffic.

Core elements of the next-generation AFL are horizontally and vertically swiveling Bi-Xenon headlamp units, with moveable reflector elements and variable filters mounted in the path of the beam. In a fraction of a second, electric step motors adjust these components to adapt accordingly to the prevailing situation. The so-called actuators receive their commands continually from a microcomputer that is integrated into the vehicle's electronic data network. This assumes control of the AFL system dependently of sensor-recorded parameters such as speed, front-wheel lock angle, body tilt, load and ambient light.