Research tells us that most accidents occur between twilight and sunset. This, of course, brings us to another interesting observation. Why do automatic headlights switch on only after sunset if the original purpose was to reduce the number of accidents? Nissan seems to have the perfect solution - address the root cause of the failure of existing automatic headlight systems. A simple alternative to the existing systems, Nissan’s idea is based around the fact that enhancing the sensitivity of the illumination sensors would activate the system 30-40 minutes earlier than other automatic headlights. Most importantly, it switches off when the car is parked below a tree or by the shadows of a building to conserve energy. The designers have also revisited the traditional control logic to make the system more intelligent while evaluating the ambient light.
Nissan’s Smart Auto system dynamically captures relevant data about the surrounding environment with the help of light sensors. The threshold values for the logic circuit can be preset to help the system identify precisely when it needs to switch on. For instance, when the preset values experience a sharp decrease, the system doesn’t switch on as it identifies the surrounding as a tunnel or a shadow. At the same time, when the value experiences a gradual decrease, it switches on as the data pertains to twilight, the time before sunset. The system can also be synchronized to work with the wipers. Nissan has announced a commercial release of Smart Auto in 2008. For road traffic controllers, there is relief finally!
Via:Nikkeibp
Automatic headlights do need to be more sensitive to illumination than they already are, since they come on too late in time. Though turning everything automatic is part of the auto trends nowadays, people still need to check things up from time to time to be able to fully adjust to the needs of the consumers just like Nissan.
very true. but automation has its own flipside. when there’s a glitch, everything goes for a toss. A blend of manual and automated should be the perfect option.
