August 4, 2005, Reutlingen, Germany--Automotive Lighting, in close cooperation with Mercedes Benz, developed the world's first active infrared lighting system for the new Mercedes Benz S-Class. The technology allows the driver to drive with low beam and see just as well as with high beam headlights, a major improvement in safety at night or on country roads. Dangerous situations are identified and placed on the on-board display.
The infrared module technology utilizes an interference filter with more than 30 absorption layers and has been developed based upon a standard optical high-beam module with a low-cost H11 bulb that can be easily integrated in any modern high-performance headlight. With a switch in the automobile cockpit, the infrared system is turned on alongside the normal low beam. Above a speed of 15 km/h the module is activated and 'lights' up the street ahead with (for humans) invisible infrared light and detection systems. The technology eliminates the need for perpetual switching on and off of the high beam. The infrared high beam, which is invisible to the oncoming traffic, is always available for the driver. A CCD camera is used to acquire the infrared images that are converted to human-visible images and transferred to an onboard display.
The passive infrared system detects subtle changes in radiated heat emissions and detects humans and animals that are warmer than their surrounding environmental temperature. An innovative active heat radiation unit, developed by Automotive Lighting, carries out the additional detection of 'cold' objects that have roughly the same temperature as the surrounding environment. The complete technology allows the driver to detect life forms as well as static objects that could pose potential danger or accident risk.
Even though only about one quarter of all driving takes place at night, this is when half of all deadly automotive accidents occur. Research has shown that roughly half of all accidents at night involve an obstacle or another traffic participant that was sadly recognized too late. In difficult driving conditions such as driving with oncoming traffic or in the rain with increased light reflections, standard high-beam lights are often insufficient for viewing beyond oncoming traffic or quickly recognizing obstacles and other traffic participants and reacting appropriately. The new infrared system from Automotive Lighting can drastically improve pedestrian and road safety in these situations.