See the Light (Automatic High Beam Dimmers)
August 4, 2024
It's happened to all of us. We're driving down a highway at night and over a crest appears a car with its high beams blazing. You are momentarily blinded, hoping the other driver will switch them to their low beam setting and restore your vision.
Not only do we not appreciate being blinded, face it; we don’t want to be that other driver, either. You know, the one who forgets to turn down their high beams.
Why do we want high beams in the first place? They can improve safety when used correctly, giving drivers more reaction time since they can see farther down the road. But research has found many drivers either don't use them or, when they do, they frequently forget to switch to low beams. Enter the automatic high-beam dimmer.
The quest for the perfect one began back in the 1950s, General Motors invented something it called the "Autronic Eye." It was a phototube which sat on the dashboard and turned down your beams when it saw other headlights. While touted as being the biggest advance in night driving safety in 30 years, it didn't work all that well. But as technology got more advanced, systems improved.
Today's automatic high beam dimmers usually have a camera in the rear view mirror (pointing forward). When the camera sees lights, software in the system's computer attempts to determine the source of the light, whether it is an oncoming vehicle, taillights, ambient city lights, street lights or the reflection off of a street sign. It then adjusts the headlights to operate high beams if appropriate or a less-blinding mode if they’re not.
Some automakers are striving to make their headlight systems smarter and safer by developing lamps that can avoid blinding oncoming drivers by means other than simply dimming them. One idea? Splitting the beams so they will block just the portion that shines into the eyes of oncoming drivers.
It's a long way from the Autronic Eye.
Star Lube Branson
598 State Hwy 165
Branson, MO 65616
417-239-2886
http://www.starlubebranson.com
Need Service?
More articles from Star Lube & Tire of Branson
How Far We've Come (Newer Vehicle Technology)
December 15, 2024
Automotive design has come a long way since the days of the Model T, especially when it comes to safety technology. You can thank computers for a lot of the latest innovations. Here are a few that have been making their mark in recent years. Adaptive cruise control. This is cruise control with... More
A Turn for the Worse (Using Turn Signals)
December 8, 2024
Distracted driving is bad, you know that. Daydreaming, talking on the cell phone, putting your makeup on in the rear view mirror. All bad. But there's something else that causes more than twice as many accidents, according to a recent study. And that's people who don't use their turn signals.... More
The Light Many Drivers Fear (Check Engine Light)
December 1, 2024
Ask just about any driver about one thing they fear seeing inside their vehicle and they'll say it's the Check Engine light coming on. You know, that little light on your instrument panel that is in the shape of a vehicle engine, often accompanied by the words Check, Check Engine, Check Engine Se... More