How to Increase Safety in Night Time Driving with New Technology

How to Increase Safety in Night Time Driving with New Technology

Rainer Neumann ¹*

¹ Varroc Lighting Systems GmbH, Germany

*Contact email address: rneuman8@varroclighting.com

Abstract—The rapidly increasing speed in defining and developing new lighting technologies leads to the question what type of solution could really contribute to safety in night time driving. And what kind of solutions do fulfill the demands of reduced power consumption, small dimensions, long and reliable life time and affordable investments. The ECE regulation requires, that all new functionalities and innovative lighting contributions needs to have a type approval. As we are in the phase of frozen ECE regulations with the target to reduce their number and complexity, the only way to have realistic chances to convince the authorities of new technologies entering the regulations is by means of objective research studies, explaining and confirming safety improvements in night time driving. This should be accompanied by the confirmation , that other road users will not be disturbed. The paper gives an overview of the various studies ongoing to justify new functionalities as a mean to improve safety, to enhance comfort and exchange important information for the driver without disturbing others. The way to autonomous vehicle operation requires some methods to communicate between cars and drivers as well as pedestrians and other road participants. The first results show clearly that there is a number of solutions, which do justify an approval for the future vehicle generation. The features, which could be realized with some advantages will be discussed and explained.

Keywords- Headlamp Systems, Safety, Legislation, New Functionalities