• Active cornering headlamp system ready for series production from spring 2003
• Significantly enhances safety during night driving
• Enables dipped headlamps to provide up to 90 percent better curve illumination
• Bi-xenon headlamps follow the driver's steering movements
• Start of a new era of headlamp technology

Stuttgart -- A new active cornering headlamp system from Mercedes-Benz is set to enhance night-driving safety.


Developed in conjunction with Hella, this new technology is currently proving itself in test vehicles operated by the Stuttgart-based car manufacturer.

The active cornering headlamp system features headlamps which follow the driver's steering movements and swivel in the corresponding direction almost instantaneously as the vehicle enters the curve. Illumination of the traffic lane is improved by up to 90 percent as a result: whereas conventional dipped headlamps are able to provide illumination for a distance of some 30 metres when entering a curve with a radius of 190 metres, the new headlamp extends this range by another 25 metres. As the light dis-tribution is matched to the steering angle, the driver is able to see the course of the curve at an early stage and can adapt his or her driving style accordingly.

In developing this innovative technology, Mercedes-Benz deliberately chose an active system rather than a static light which could be operated when cornering because the former also enhances safety significantly on country roads and in extended curves.

The active cornering headlamp system constantly matches itself to the speed of the car: whereas the headlamps follow the steering-wheel angle almost instantaneously during high-speed driving, the swivelling mechanism operates at a correspondingly slower speed when the car is proceeding at a more modest rate in order to ensure that the driver can relate to the way the beam pattern changes.



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Electric motors swivel the bi-xenon modules in accordance with the steering angle
The active cornering headlamp system is based on the bi-xenon head-lamps used in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and operates in both dipped and main-beam mode. The microcomputer which controls the system is in-tegrated in the saloon's electronic data network and is continuously supplied with real-time information from the steering-angle and speed sensors. Each bi-xenon module is equipped with its own electronics unit and an electric motor which swivels the lamp horizontally.

Dynamic headlamp range adjustment -- a standard feature of Mercedes-Benz models equipped with bi-xenon headlamps -- also works with the new cornering headlamp system in order to prevent oncoming drivers from being dazzled. Controlled by sensors, this system detects all the movements of the vehicle body and adjusts the headlamp settings accordingly.

Start of a new era of adaptive headlamp technology
The active cornering headlamp system marks the beginning of a new era of headlamp technology featuring multiple lighting functions which adapt themselves to the prevailing driving situation. Examples of these include special city, junction or country road lighting functions. Mercedes-Benz will also develop these adaptive systems to production standard in the years ahead.

 

a day late but a little more informative

 

http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...ghlight=tucker

 

wow...that is really a good technology as i admit that sometimes i can not see the things or roads very clearly when i am cornering... ....wow..technology is really cool..

 

All mercedes has to do now is combine those headlights, 4 wheel steering, along with the active camber suspension! Oh ya and night vision.

probably be 100K+ for a car that equiped though

 

Dont forget hard top cabrios and a 5.5 liter rsupercharged V10

 

amen!!! where do I sign?

 

Tucker!!!

 

Good point, they thought of it 50 years ago !!