A crucial new task for vehicle exterior lighting in the near future will be a light pattern which supports camera vision sufficiently. I don’t mean L4 or L5 automated driving, nor even about L3, I mean L2+ and L2++ ADAS. This new L2++ means hands-off under good conditions, but the driver must be ready to take back control at all times.
The system boundaries of these L2++ systems exclude night driving; rain; fog; tunnels, and other adverse conditions mainly because of camera vision weaknesses. Even the state-of-the-art new L3 Mercedes Drive Pilot system needs ‘good light conditions’ (whatever that might mean) according to the vehicle owner’s manual.
In the car lighting industry, the work to develop light functions supporting camera vision has already started. First ideas were shown at the DVN Paris workshop 2 weeks ago. JLR’s Irene Sanchez Funez presented new manœuvring lamps for low-speed orientation for camera vision. During his presentation and the Q&A session, Phillip Röckl from Opel-Stellantis talked about the totally different requirements for camera vision compared with human vision—range; road luminance, and visibility angles. Porsche’s Robert Hähle and Benjamin Hummel showed a super headlamp which has so much more to offer than just a beautiful design. Gerald Böhm from ZKW even gave a dedicated presentation about lighting for machine vision.
As usual in our business, we need close collaboration between automakers; suppliers, and the rulemaking authorities to be successful. Another new task is the tight integration of camera and image processing software experts, from inside the companies and from external sources—lighting never becomes boring!
Enjoy this week’s DVNewsletter.