INTELLIGENT LIGHT SYSTEMS For about 25 years car manufacturers have offered, in addition to robust Halogen bulb based headlamps, alternative lighting options equipped with High Intensity Discharge lamps (HID) – called ‘Xenon’ light. For more than 10 years, electronically controlled Adaptive Frontlighting Systems (AFS) from Automotive Lighting with dynamic beam pattern variation have been improving driving safety during the night by enhancing visibility under different and difficult driving conditions. Nowadays, the new ILS-Systems are fully equipped with LED light sources.
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ince 2008, when Automotive Lighting started the production of the first all-LED headlamp for the Audi R8, the potential of semiconductor based light sources which offer vast terrain of styling opportunities with scalable performance and adaptable functionalities combining safety benefits with styling opportunities has grown,” said Johannes Geywitz-Senn, head of Marketing at Automotive Lighting, a division of Magneti Marelli Group. Enhanced signal and adaptive main functions have been developed and offered with the aim of increasing driving safety during day and night. Adaptive lighting functions are adjusting the low beam pattern of headlamps according to the specific driving conditions.
Customised solutions for intelligent lighting systems Automotive Lighting keeps developing lighting systems with typical brand signatures in close cooperation with carmakers all over the 58 Industry Europe
world. The carmakers offer a broad program of alternative solutions according to the needs of their customers. AFS-headlamps enhance driving safety and comfort, and provide an enormous added value. “For that reason they have become the standard in the flagship vehicles of Europe’s best carmakers and the option for nearly all car segments,” comments Ilona Rutkiewicz, responsible for Marketing Communication at Automotive Lighting. A few years ago, Volkswagen was the first carmaker that offered camera-controlled ‘Glarefree High Beam’ (GHB) as enhanced safety related technology has set a new standard within vehicle lighting technology. The UN/ECE-regulation R-123 permits lighting systems which encompasses various functions including: static bend light or cornering function, dynamic curve light, motor way light and glarefree high beam. (Pic.2) Using continuously improved elements of modular concepts, the set makers customise the desired lighting solution for each
carmaker. Automotive Lighting incorporates innovative technologies in different scenarios which are in line with the particular DNA of carmakers’ vehicle programs.
How it works All adaptive lighting functions are activated when the automatic mode is selected by the driver. The high class adaptive lighting systems use vertical and horizontal beam control. The function to which the most attention is paid is camera supported glarefree high beam. The camera located behind the windscreen monitors the traffic. Once oncoming traffic is detected, the camera sends the signals of their positions via CAN-Bus to the electronic control unit of the headlamp. Depending on the concept philosophy of the lighting system, the light distribution is controlled either electro-mechanically or electronically. During the electro-mechanical control, the integrated stepper motors are used to swivel or level the modules and to
