February 20, 2022
It's happened to all of us. We're driving down a highway at night and over a crest appears a car with its high beams blazing. You are momentarily blinded, hoping the other driver will switch them to their low beam setting and restore your vision.
Not only do we not appreciate being blinded, face it; we don’t want to be that other driver, either. You know, the one who forgets to turn down their high beams.
Why do we want high beams in the first place? They can improve safety when used correctly, giving drivers more reaction time since they can see farther down the road. But research has found many drivers either don't use them or, when they do, they frequently forget to switch to low beams. Enter the automatic high-beam dimmer.
The quest for the perfect one began back in the 1950s, General Motors invented something it called the "Autronic Eye." It was a phototube which sat on the dashboard and turned down your beams when it saw other headlights. While touted as being the biggest advance in night driving safety in 30 years, it didn't work all that well. But as technology got more advanced, systems improved.
Today's automatic high beam dimmers usually have a camera in the rear view mirror (pointing forward). When the camera sees lights, software in the system's computer attempts to determine the source of the light, whether it is an oncoming vehicle, taillights, ambient city lights, street lights or the reflection off of a street sign. It then adjusts the headlights to operate high beams if appropriate or a less-blinding mode if they’re not.
Some automakers are striving to make their headlight systems smarter and safer by developing lamps that can avoid blinding oncoming drivers by means other than simply dimming them. One idea? Splitting the beams so they will block just the portion that shines into the eyes of oncoming drivers.
It's a long way from the Autronic Eye.
Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Grove City
2131 Stringtown Road
Grove City, Ohio 43123
614-871-4020
http://www.tuffygrovecity.com
November 10, 2024
When you head to the doctor, you probably have it in your mind what you're going to say about why you don't feel good. That way your doctor can use that information to diagnose your problem. You might want to think of that same approach when you take your vehicle in for a repair. Experts say wha... More
November 3, 2024
A driver called in to the shop the other day saying his European sports sedan had an odd problem. He was driving when his car started to slow down. Applying more throttle didn't help. He pulled over to the side of the road, shut the engine off and waited a few minutes before starting it up aga... More
October 27, 2024
Don't love winter weather? Here's a list of four things you need to keep a watch on during the winter months. Let's start with coolant levels. Coolant is as important in cold weather as it is in hot weather. Think of the term "anti-freeze." Your coolant needs to be adjusted for climate and temp... More