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Motoring news

Future headlights 'will not dazzle other drivers'

28/05/2009

Advances in headlight technology could mean that future cars will be able to drive with their full beams on without causing a problem for other drivers.

The technology in development by Gentex, an American company that specialises in innovative car safety products, will use sensors to decide when the headlights would dazzle other drivers, and adjust the light without sacrificing the full beams.

The company's existing SmartBeam technology - already available on a number of road cars, such as BMWs - allows the vehicle to switch automatically from full beam to dipped lamps when either the headlights or rear lights of another car are in view.

But the company's Dynamic Forward Lighting would work to create what Gentex calls "glare-free block-out zones". In this system, the segment of the headlight that would dazzle other drivers is cut off, while the rest of the lamp continues to work at full strength.

Gentex Europe managing director Klaus Weibler told Car Magazine that production was still a number of years away.

Weibler said that while the system works with existing xenon lights, using mechanical blades to block the beam, it was the anticipated industry switch to emerging LED headlight technology that would make the system a production reality.