From designers and engineers to researchers and regulators, it seems every sector of our community is abuzz about matrix-beam headlamps. For realising an adaptive driving (or glare-free high) beam to resolve the longstanding conflict between seeing and glare in traffic at night, they’re the cutting-edge technique. But maybe not for long; a consortium of American researchers have devised a headlamp system that looks like it could make today’s (and tomorrow’s!) matrix beams obsolete. We constantly find new examples of the screaming-fast pace of driver vision systems—and this looks like a biggie. This week we take a look at the researchers’ paper and the system of “programmable” headlamps it describes.
Also in this week’s news, we look back in time—over a century back, when headlamps themselves, acetylene gas ones, were the astonishing new technology that made it possible to drive after dark. And we look at what promises to be a nifty new aftermarket driver assistance package, and at some Biblical justice being meted out in China to those who misuse their headlamps and glare other drivers.
It is indubitably a very exciting and fascinating time to be involved with driver vision. We’re in the sweet spot where technology allows us to do amazing things, and—because autonomous cars aren’t yet quite ready—there’s still a driver in the car to be amazed.
Daniel Stern, DVN General Editor