New Benz will see its way round corners

By DAVID LINKLATER

Mercedes-Benz has developed a lighting system for the new E-class that can see around corners.

Active cornering headlamps, designed in conjunction with Hella, are now being tested and are expected to enter production in 2003.

The headlamps follow the driver's steering movements and swivel in the corresponding direction almost instantaneously as the vehicle enters the curve.

The company claims that illumination of the traffic lane is improved by up to 90 per cent as a result.

Whereas conventional dipped headlamps are able to provide illumination for a distance of some 30 metres when entering a curve with a radius of 190 metres, the new headlamp extends the range by another 25 metres.

As the light distribution is matched to the steering angle, the driver is able to see the course of the curve and can adapt driving style accordingly.

Mercedes-Benz says that it deliberately chose an active system rather than a static light which could be operated when cornering because the former enhances safety significantly on country roads and in extended curves.

The active cornering headlamp system constantly matches itself to the speed of the car.

The headlamps follow the steering-wheel angle almost instantaneously during high-speed driving, but the swiveling mechanism operates at a correspondingly slower speed when the car is proceeding at a more modest rate in order to ensure that the driver can relate to the way the beam pattern changes.

The system is based on the bi-xenon headlamps already used in the E-class and operates in both dipped and main-beam mode.

The microcomputer that controls the system is integrated in the electronic data network and is continuously supplied with real-time information from the steering-angle and speed sensors. Each bi-xenon module is equipped with its own electronics unit and an electric motor that swivels the lamp horizontally. Dynamic headlamp range adjustment - a standard feature of Mercedes-Benz models equipped with bi-xenon headlamps - also works with the new cornering headlamp system in order to prevent oncoming drivers from being dazzled. Controlled by sensors, this system detects all the movements of the vehicle body and adjusts the headlamp settings accordingly. Mercedes says that the active cornering system marks the beginning of a new era of technology featuring multiple lighting functions which adapt to the prevailing driving situation. Examples of these include special city, junction or country road lighting functions.

The new E-Class will be launched in New Zealand next week.