Advanced frontlighting systems including cornering or bending light are described. For the bending light function, the curve radius in front of the vehicle is decisive. This may be determined by GPS / digital road map but the costs of these systems are still very high. As a cheaper alternative the curve geometry in front of the car can be estimated using vehicle velocity, steering angle or the difference between two wheel speed signals. In helpful surroundings where there is a crash barrier or cars in front an infrared multi-beam ACC (adaptive cruise control) sensor can be used to determine the lane layout ahead. For motorway / country / town lights a townlight sensor may be used. To distinguish country from motorway driving conditions, vehicle speed and curve radii may be sensed. For adverse weather lighting, the only sensor yet available is a rain sensor designed for turning on vehicle windscreen wipers. This cannot detect fog or spray. Only a real visibility sensor can detect foggy conditions. An infrared sensor may detect the backscatter signal resulting from the ultra-short infrared impulse into fog, traffic spray, rain or snow. For the covering abstract see ITRD E123380.
Samenvatting