A Safety Concept for Laser Headlamps

Carsten Gut

Development of Lighting and VisionSystems

Audi AG

Ingolstadt, Germany

carsten.gut@audi.de

Dr. Wolfgang Huhn

Development of Lighting and VisionSystems

Audi AG

Ingolstadt, Germany

wolfgang.huhn@audi.de

Abstract

Laser headlampsare close before their first introduction into real world traffic. Before thisserial application, Audi´s Laser Headlamps will be used in motor racing forfinal testing. In a first application Laser Headlamps will be used asadditional main beam contributors only. The result is a very high range but ina small solid angle only - a typical motor racing demand.

For the serial carone can use the released Laser Headlamp racing concept. Additionally the safetyrequirements have to be checked and updated. New standards and specificationsare necessary to exclude any danger for other road users such as bicyclist,pedestrians and motorists (who are not present on race tracks). Danger could becaused e. g. by coherent class 4 radiation outside the Headlamp. In this paperthree points will be explained:

1. Mode ofoperation of laser headlamps

2. Potential risksand failures

3. Safetysolutions

The results arenew and not used before in any other headlamp technology. Key factors areseveral combined sensor signals, new sensor types and optical elements.

Keywords- LaserHeadlamp; Safety Concept; Class 4 Radiation; Sensors; Motor Racing