Volvo Introduces Active High Beam Control System to Make Driving at Night Safer and Easier


By: Jeff Stewart  |   March 15th, 2013   |   Cars, Gadgets, News

Driving at night has always been a tough challenge for drivers around the world because the light beams of cars coming from behind or the front can impair the drivers vision badly. As a result of this drivers fail to see through the strong light and either end up colliding with a person or animal on the side of the road or swiftly swerve to avoid a serious accident. On the other hand, use of high beams at night cannot be discarded, as it helps drivers see further out, especially when they are travelling on a high way. Therefore, despite being a necessity and cause of many accidents across the world no motor vehicle company has come up with a solution to sort the problem until this month. Volvo is bringing in a brand new Active High Beam Control system at the Geneva Motor Show which is taking place from March 5 to 17. The main purpose of Volvo to introduce this new beam control system was to make driving easier and safer during the night.

 

Explaining the new beam control system, Senior Technical Specialist Safety at Volvo Cars Safety Centre, Lotta Jakobsson said that, “Our aim with the renewed Active High Beam Control technology is to enhance visibility in the dark by making it possible to use high beam permanently, without having to switch to low beam when meeting or catching up with other cars…The technology makes driving at night more comfortable and safe. It also makes it easier to focus on the driving.”

 

The Active High Beam Control system will be integrated into the new S60, XC60 and V60 models of Volvo so their owners can continuously use high beams without blinding any other driver on the road. According to PSFK, “By utilizing the car’s existing rear-view camera, which currently operates the Volvo detection and auto brake systems, the Active High Beam Control system is able to monitor for other vehicles. The control unit can then send the information to a mechanical cylinder in the headlight, which uses different sized metal pieces to shade only the necessary portions of the beam. The system, which is accurate enough to shield selected areas within a 1.5-degree margin, can then maintain high beam use to help the driver navigate.”

 

The new system can also be integrated on slow moving vehicles and motorbikes. That will not only increase the chances of detecting animals, human beings or any other object on the road side, but reduce the chances of collision or accident. Apart from the high beam system Volvo is ready to reveal a new collision-avoiding technology at the show and that will further boost their reputation for safety.

 

 

Source: PSFK

Photo: PSFK

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