Recent ISALs had a strong focus on ADB, mostly looking at
systems and ideas for 8, 16, and 32 segments. This year was different: still a
predominant focus on ADB, but mainly on high-resolution systems, no longer with
a few segments. And besides that, there was heavy concentration on road image projections,
visual communication using car lamps, and other suchlike. Terms like
“H7” don’t occur even once in the proceedings, and
“halogen” appears only a few times as a glancing comparison point. ADB
technology is gaining traction worldwide; there are even rumours that some form
of at least nominal ADB might be approved in the US before too much longer.
As Michael Hamm explained at the DVN US Workshop this year, more than 15
million ADB-equipped cars of about 60 models from more than 10 makers are on
the world’s roads without any problem.
A big number, but nowhere near big enough! It is crucially important not only to
develop and refine but to sell these technologies.
I see four steps to success:
1. Advertising, educating, and communicating on the benefits of ADB
2. Allowing ADB throughout the world;
3. Democratising ADB so it’s available in all car segments;
4. Mandatory ADB in Europe then in the world.
Now the technical constraints that confined us to high/low beam systems have
been removed by ADB, we must face and act on the new reality: the high/low-beam
binary has never been good enough for the job we ask of it, and people die as a
result. That has to stop. Innovation must carry on, of course, but none of it
matters without significant sales.
This week, news are focus on ISAL with a summary of the
awarded presentations (paper, lecture, poster) then a summary of the best
lectures for DVN.
The next ISAL symposium will be held on 13-15 September.
Sincerely yours
