The article Glare effect: Experts warn against cars with LED headlights by Maria Gramsch appeared first on BASIC thinking. You can always stay up to date with our newsletter.
Driving at night can quickly become unpleasant – namely when oncoming traffic blinds your eyes in the dark. This dazzling effect is mainly caused by cars with new LED headlights and can have serious consequences.
More than 90 percent of people in Germany feel blinded when driving. That has one representative survey by ADAC market research examined last winter.
Of these 90 percent, some only rarely (15.2 percent) or almost never (5.5) feel blinded in traffic. Nevertheless, around 50 percent said they sometimes felt blinded, 21.7 percent said this happened regularly and five percent said it almost always.
According to the ADAC, the glare caused by car headlights can have serious consequences for road safety. Sometimes drivers even close their eyes to avoid the glare.
But why is it that more and more people feel blinded in traffic? According to lighting researcher Daniel Stern, this doesn’t just have something to do with perception. But also with the number of cars with new LED headlights, according to the editor-in-chief of Driving Vision News to the Canadian television station CBC.
Cars with LED headlights blind oncoming traffic
Halogen lamps used to be installed in car headlights. However, the auto industry has gradually switched to LED headlights. Compared to the warmer light of halogen lamps, these appear bluer and more intense.
“The headlights are getting brighter, smaller and bluer. All three factors increase a certain type of glare. “It’s called unpleasant glare,” Stern explains CBC.
The human eye is designed to adapt to the lighting conditions in its surroundings. However, this also requires a certain amount of adjustment time.
According to Stern, this is particularly a problem for older eyes. According to the ADAC survey, young drivers are also feeling more and more disturbed by the bright lights.
32 percent of those surveyed up to the age of 35 feel that they are almost always or regularly blinded in traffic. For those over 50, it is only around 23 percent.
Researchers are investigating the glare effect
Researcher Bruce Haycock examined this blinding effect using a simulator at the Canadian KITE Institute. He developed the DriverLab simulator, which can imitate oncoming LED lights.
“People can’t believe this is true if they haven’t seen it because it’s really quite debilitating and very distracting,” the researcher explains CBC.
It’s very difficult to see the world around the oncoming headlights because the contrast between the really bright lights and the very dimly lit areas around you is so great.
According to Haycock, Germany is taking a pioneering role in research into vehicle lighting. By using automated LED arrays, glare can be better controlled. However, the results of the ADAC market research survey show that this technology has only limited success in combating the glare effect in German traffic.
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The article Glare effect: Experts warn against cars with LED headlights by Maria Gramsch appeared first on BASIC thinking. Follow us too Google News and Flipboard.
As a Tech Industry expert, I believe that the blinding effect caused by cars with LED headlights is a serious concern that needs to be addressed. While LED headlights are more energy-efficient and provide better visibility for drivers, they can also create glare and dazzle oncoming traffic, leading to potential safety risks on the road.
It is important for car manufacturers to design headlights that are not only bright and efficient but also considerate of other drivers on the road. One solution could be incorporating adaptive lighting technology that automatically adjusts the intensity and direction of the headlights based on surrounding conditions and the presence of other vehicles.
Additionally, proper education and awareness campaigns can help drivers understand the potential hazards of using LED headlights incorrectly and encourage them to adjust their settings to minimize the blinding effect on others.
Overall, it is crucial for the automotive industry to prioritize safety and find innovative solutions to address the issue of blinding effects caused by LED headlights to ensure a safer and more comfortable driving experience for all road users.
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