Ford Developing "Spotlighting" LED Headlights

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By the time we get this in the U.S., we'll already be riding around in self-driving cars.

Ford’s technology relies on more straightforward principles than, say, Audi’s Matrix LED setup to adapt the headlight beam for varying road conditions and to illuminate roadside objects deemed a potential collision danger.
 
I think you severely underestimate public trust in self-driving cars..
 
Why not fix old people and not waste time on the car? You could shine the sun on people but if you're blind what good is that going to do?

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Why not fix old people and not waste time on the car? You could shine the sun on people but if you're blind what good is that going to do?

http://www.quickmeme.com/img/53/531b2cdc6751b9e3f2bb03ff02d5d8945b25ac92155a0553250a541618214e94.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]

Fuck! Nothing pisses me off more than getting on an acceleration lane to the 2 lane freeway and getting stuck behind one of those old fuckers. "I'll just casually speed up to 60 but I'll just make sure to drive 30 MPH slower in the right lane" all while there's a bunch of Semi's and cars barreling at 70MPH from behind.
 
instead of blinding the oncoming person walking along the road in the video why not just project the infrared person on the windshield?

This tech would also be pretty crappy and piss people off in the city unless you are looking for a prostitute :)
 
Fuck! Nothing pisses me off more than getting on an acceleration lane to the 2 lane freeway and getting stuck behind one of those old fuckers. "I'll just casually speed up to 60 but I'll just make sure to drive 30 MPH slower in the right lane" all while there's a bunch of Semi's and cars barreling at 70MPH from behind.

I've seen more near-wrecks from this than people driving too fast (although I've seen some close calls there, too).
 
Would be useful for deer/animal crossings or near roads. But as for people, are they too dumb to wear some reflective vests or lights when walking on the side of a road in the dark?
 
I've seen more near-wrecks from this than people driving too fast (although I've seen some close calls there, too).

This drives me crazy too, I sometimes get stuck behind a car driving 30 on an on-ramp to a 8-lane freeway where the traffic is doing 75. I drive a fairly slow car so I can't possibly accelerate to a safe speed before the merge lane ends.
 
Would be useful for deer/animal crossings or near roads. But as for people, are they too dumb to wear some reflective vests or lights when walking on the side of a road in the dark?

This would be a pretty big thing. A co worker of mines relatives were very recently in a roll over where 1 person was ejected because a moose started its way across the highway and the driver had to swerve @70 mph
 
Would be useful for deer/animal crossings or near roads. But as for people, are they too dumb to wear some reflective vests or lights when walking on the side of a road in the dark?

Yes they are. Even if you are wearing a white or light blue shirt, people think. "They can see me". Except we can't. Never underestimate idiots.
 
Would be useful for deer/animal crossings or near roads. But as for people, are they too dumb to wear some reflective vests or lights when walking on the side of a road in the dark?

Or they wear all black, including a black hoodie. Idiots.
 
Fuck! Nothing pisses me off more than getting on an acceleration lane to the 2 lane freeway and getting stuck behind one of those old fuckers. "I'll just casually speed up to 60 but I'll just make sure to drive 30 MPH slower in the right lane" all while there's a bunch of Semi's and cars barreling at 70MPH from behind.


I've had it happen a few times in the last couple months that an old person got confused and simply stopped at the top of the on-ramp. The one I get on at work is uphill on a corner and you can't see anything coming behind you until you're nearly on the highway, I've been narrowly missed by trucks several times because of people doing this. Makes me so angry. And then they give me a dirty look when I pass them after the mosied onto the highway at 25mph.
 
Am I the only one that thinks putting more distracting crap on that stupid screen in the middle of the car is a bad idea? Causing me to take my eyes OFF the road to watch the pretty red danger outlines on the screen is supposed to be safer!? Where is my HUD with red outlines on the windshield that highlight the deer, pedestrian or other objects so I can take corrective action without my eyes leaving the road.

Not to mention blinding the pedestrian or bicyclist in question.
 
This would be a pretty big thing. A co worker of mines relatives were very recently in a roll over where 1 person was ejected because a moose started its way across the highway and the driver had to swerve @70 mph

Hopefully they'll be okay..

Bet you they'll drive a lot slower at night now
 
People always complain about others driving too slow. Well, I think anything above 50 km/h is completely unacceptable in a populated area. If we're talking German Autobahn, then sure, go 200+ but animals are rare over there.

Driving fast puts others in danger way more than driving slow. Remember guys, you're not F1 drivers, and you don't all drive super cars.
 
How completely fucking stupid. Let's blind the person on the side of the road so they walk into traffic or trip on something because you've just killed their nightvison with a spotlight.

I walk all the time at night. Ride my bike too (with lights usually), and although it's the responsibility of anyone operating a vehicle to pay attention, bottom line is people are idiots and don't give proper right of way due to pedestrians or cyclist, so I know I always have to look out for myself.

But some motherfucker shines a light in my face you can bet they are getting a rock through their windshield...

Driving is a privilege, not a right, and roads don't belong solely to cars... Drivers are best to remember that.
 
How completely fucking stupid. Let's blind the person on the side of the road so they walk into traffic or trip on something because you've just killed their nightvison with a spotlight.

I walk all the time at night. Ride my bike too (with lights usually), and although it's the responsibility of anyone operating a vehicle to pay attention, bottom line is people are idiots and don't give proper right of way due to pedestrians or cyclist, so I know I always have to look out for myself.

But some motherfucker shines a light in my face you can bet they are getting a rock through their windshield...

Driving is a privilege, not a right, and roads don't belong solely to cars... Drivers are best to remember that.

Someones having a bad day. Shitting the bed and all.
 
I drive on back roads quite a bit on unlit roads away from the city. Can't count how many times I've spotted deer on and around the roads. This would be great for people who live out of city limits driving on lowly lit roads.
 
How completely fucking stupid. Let's blind the person on the side of the road so they walk into traffic or trip on something because you've just killed their nightvison with a spotlight.

I walk all the time at night. Ride my bike too (with lights usually), and although it's the responsibility of anyone operating a vehicle to pay attention, bottom line is people are idiots and don't give proper right of way due to pedestrians or cyclist, so I know I always have to look out for myself.

But some motherfucker shines a light in my face you can bet they are getting a rock through their windshield...

Driving is a privilege, not a right, and roads don't belong solely to cars... Drivers are best to remember that.


You must be great at parties.
 
Driving fast puts others in danger way more than driving slow. Remember guys, you're not F1 drivers, and you don't all drive super cars.

Driving 10+ under the speed limit is just as dangerous (opinion, nothing to back up the claim) when others are going the speed limit (not speeding).

I walk all the time at night. Ride my bike too (with lights usually), and although it's the responsibility of anyone operating a vehicle to pay attention, bottom line is people are idiots and don't give proper right of way due to pedestrians or cyclist, so I know I always have to look out for myself.

Driving is a privilege, not a right, and roads don't belong solely to cars... Drivers are best to remember that.

Bike riders also need to follow the rules, which many are. The few that aren't are the ones that ruin it for the rest of them. As far as the paying attention part - if you're a bike rider or pedestrian, you better be paying attention. If you're crossing the road, make eye contact with the driver that slowed or stopped to let you cross. If you're close to the road, pay attention. Don't expect others to do it for you.
 
People always complain about others driving too slow. Well, I think anything above 50 km/h is completely unacceptable in a populated area. If we're talking German Autobahn, then sure, go 200+ but animals are rare over there.

Driving fast puts others in danger way more than driving slow. Remember guys, you're not F1 drivers, and you don't all drive super cars.

At the speed you ask for, it would take me 2 hours to get across the city when I can get there in half that time in the same city. If we're talking about residential areas, then yes 30kmh is fine. The situation I'm talking about is the ACCELERATION LANE which people are intentionally driving slow in order to meet the flow of traffic which is typically 110kmh on the freeway, not 55kmh. I don't want to worry about semi long hauls barreling up from behind me when the moron in front of me is gradually speeding up to eventually hit the speed limit. It takes you about 10 seconds to get to that speed from the time you get on the acceleration lane to the time you get on the freeway. We're not talking 0MPH to 60MPH in x seconds, we're talking about a car that's already in motion getting up to the rate of traffic. No one is arguing that people can or should drive at 200kmh. That's actually reckless driving here.
 
Driving 10+ under the speed limit is just as dangerous (opinion, nothing to back up the claim) when others are going the speed limit (not speeding).



Bike riders also need to follow the rules, which many are. The few that aren't are the ones that ruin it for the rest of them. As far as the paying attention part - if you're a bike rider or pedestrian, you better be paying attention. If you're crossing the road, make eye contact with the driver that slowed or stopped to let you cross. If you're close to the road, pay attention. Don't expect others to do it for you.

Definitely. Reckless bike riders piss me off nearly as much as entitled, oblivious motor vehicle operators.

Bikes = vehicle, thus riders should operate them as such, and drivers treat them as such... so don't pull out from a stop in front of me when I'm in the bike lane doing 30MPH down hill and expect me to be able to stop, and don't try to pass me in a NO PASSING ZONE on a curve then try to push me off the road when oncoming traffic comes around the bend...

I do long distance riding regularly, and ever since I've been cycling I've found I'm also a much better driver because I pay attention more to little things...

I've been hit a couple times now, and the last time the dumbass had the nerve to get out the car yelling at me and choose to start a fight... so I had the pleasure of being able to both kick his ass, then watch him get arrested for reckless driving and assault. Heh

Needless to say, I have little tolerance for idiots on the road.
 
How completely fucking stupid. Let's blind the person on the side of the road so they walk into traffic or trip on something because you've just killed their nightvison with a spotlight.

I walk all the time at night. Ride my bike too (with lights usually), and although it's the responsibility of anyone operating a vehicle to pay attention, bottom line is people are idiots and don't give proper right of way due to pedestrians or cyclist, so I know I always have to look out for myself.

But some motherfucker shines a light in my face you can bet they are getting a rock through their windshield...
Amen, this was my exact thought as well. I NEVER assume drivers see me and will get off the road completely, but somebody who was on low beams switching to floodlights on you really does make you want to throw something at them. At the very least, it makes me want to carry some sort of flood beam to shine in THEIR faces and see how they like it. You have a lot more shit to worry about as a pedestrian at night than a driver does. It's bad enough that so many drivers reactions to a pedestrian are to creep up and honk their horn and / or throw a beer bottle.
 
Worthwhile if it comes STANDARD on ford cars but as always it'll be a ludicrously priced option.
 
Amen, this was my exact thought as well. I NEVER assume drivers see me and will get off the road completely, but somebody who was on low beams switching to floodlights on you really does make you want to throw something at them. At the very least, it makes me want to carry some sort of flood beam to shine in THEIR faces and see how they like it. You have a lot more shit to worry about as a pedestrian at night than a driver does. It's bad enough that so many drivers reactions to a pedestrian are to creep up and honk their horn and / or throw a beer bottle.

Yep. People need to pay attention to what's ahead of them (and all around them), not wait till they are on top of something then flash the highbeams... that shit HURTS when they are ten feet away and you can't see anything for a good 30 seconds.

I've also dodged more than a few beer bottles when I lived in small towns/rural areas... Last summer I had a douchebag graze me with a bottle while I was riding my bike on the *sidewalk* *in town*

Speed limit was only 25, so I chased him to the stoplight and dragged his ass out of the car. Got some nice DUI and assault charges for him, but generally you can't even get a plate number.
 
At the speed you ask for, it would take me 2 hours to get across the city when I can get there in half that time in the same city. If we're talking about residential areas, then yes 30kmh is fine. The situation I'm talking about is the ACCELERATION LANE which people are intentionally driving slow in order to meet the flow of traffic which is typically 110kmh on the freeway, not 55kmh. I don't want to worry about semi long hauls barreling up from behind me when the moron in front of me is gradually speeding up to eventually hit the speed limit. It takes you about 10 seconds to get to that speed from the time you get on the acceleration lane to the time you get on the freeway. We're not talking 0MPH to 60MPH in x seconds, we're talking about a car that's already in motion getting up to the rate of traffic. No one is arguing that people can or should drive at 200kmh. That's actually reckless driving here.

While I'm going to agree with most of what you're saying, there is one nitpick...

The onramp for a freeway is a merging lane, not simpl an "acceleration lane"... And when merging into traffic, it's your responsibility to stay out of traffics way, not expect them move out of the way for you.

I generally try to be courteous and make room for people, but it pisses me off when people come barreling onto the freeway and try to "push" into traffic.

At that point, it's mot my responsibility to move for you bitch, and I *will* force you off the road if you have the mentality that it's "your turn" and try to move me.

Generally people aren't a big problem for me on the merge lanes, but sometimes they do need to (and *should*) slow down... or outright stop... to wait for a place to merge.

Just driving 101 here.
 
While I'm going to agree with most of what you're saying, there is one nitpick...

The onramp for a freeway is a merging lane, not simpl an "acceleration lane"... And when merging into traffic, it's your responsibility to stay out of traffics way, not expect them move out of the way for you.

I generally try to be courteous and make room for people, but it pisses me off when people come barreling onto the freeway and try to "push" into traffic.

At that point, it's mot my responsibility to move for you bitch, and I *will* force you off the road if you have the mentality that it's "your turn" and try to move me.

Generally people aren't a big problem for me on the merge lanes, but sometimes they do need to (and *should*) slow down... or outright stop... to wait for a place to merge.

Just driving 101 here.
I'm quite well aware of what those circumstances are. Again read what my post said. THEY as in the slow driver in front of me, not me are in the right lane. So we are already off the on-ramp. Especially when you're in rural areas, the on-ramp you're talking about is only about 50 feet and that's it which you got to get onto the freeway otherwise you're going into a culvert.

Just driving 101 here.
 
I'm quite well aware of what those circumstances are. Again read what my post said. THEY as in the slow driver in front of me, not me are in the right lane. So we are already off the on-ramp. Especially when you're in rural areas, the on-ramp you're talking about is only about 50 feet and that's it which you got to get onto the freeway otherwise you're going into a culvert.

Just driving 101 here.

Again I also think you don't understand here. The driver in front of me decided to merge into the freeway where there was no traffic behind him because traffic is far back behind him (more than 500 feet. But since the rate of traffic is half the rate, they're going to catch up to him rapidly while I'm stuck behind him. I could merge into the left passing lane BUT I would be creating an even more dangerous situation as the semi's and cars already are aware that I'm "slower" than them and are making the pass around me when it's the stupid old fuck in front of me causing the situation, not me. I have to wait for my chance to get safe by letting traffic re-route until it's clear and safe to do so.

Again, it all boils down to stupid incompetent fucks driving on the road because they think it's totally safe to drive at their own speed instead of meeting the flow of traffic which is much safer that way. Nowhere did I suggest I need to push into traffic as you were trying to imply. Nor am I "barreling" down the on-ramp, there will be circumstances where the semi's are faster than me which I do let them go first because they're obviously going faster than me by a factor of 10MPH or so but at least I can meet up to their speed. But in circumstances of old fuckery, they're getting onto the freeway thinking traffic will just get around them when they're literally trapping me at their rate making me their crash dummy protecting them from a collision.

Again just driving 101 for you.
 
How completely fucking stupid. Let's blind the person on the side of the road so they walk into traffic or trip on something because you've just killed their nightvison with a spotlight.

Actually, LED lamps have less of a problem with blinding people outside the beam path than standard halogens do. Done right, they produce a well controlled beam of light with a narrow bloom.
 
So...

1 in 5 accidents happen on unlit roads.

That is only 20%

Why not focus their attention on the 4 in 5 accidents that apparently happen on lit roads?

People walking in the road in the dark without any reflective gear deserve to be awarded the Darwin award. Stay off the road you dummies. Walk off the side of the road if possible. And use a flashlight. Idiots!

And those aren't even the worst offenders. A lot of the time they will be wearing dark colors if not all black.

And I bet that this system would break down a lot. Vehicles with moving lights in the past have been riddled with reliability problems.

And to top it off, it would not detect things like zombies or vampires.. so pretty much worthless. :p
 
Fuck! Nothing pisses me off more than getting on an acceleration lane to the 2 lane freeway and getting stuck behind one of those old fuckers. "I'll just casually speed up to 60 but I'll just make sure to drive 30 MPH slower in the right lane" all while there's a bunch of Semi's and cars barreling at 70MPH from behind.

When you get old, and you will, some kid punk will say the same thing about you.
What comes around, goes around, so take your turn.
 
Driving 10+ under the speed limit is just as dangerous (opinion, nothing to back up the claim) when others are going the speed limit (not speeding).



Bike riders also need to follow the rules, which many are. The few that aren't are the ones that ruin it for the rest of them. As far as the paying attention part - if you're a bike rider or pedestrian, you better be paying attention. If you're crossing the road, make eye contact with the driver that slowed or stopped to let you cross. If you're close to the road, pay attention. Don't expect others to do it for you.

Speed limits are a joke.
When I drive 72mph on I75 in Mi, EVERY car passes me, and they are flying by.
People do what they want.
 
I think you severely underestimate public trust in self-driving cars..

Not convinced. I'd rather trust a machine than a human asshole driver. Anecdotal evidence collected among my coworkers (not a self-selected group of people) suggests the same.
 
Actually, LED lamps have less of a problem with blinding people outside the beam path than standard halogens do. Done right, they produce a well controlled beam of light with a narrow bloom.
That's irrelevant though when they're designed to point right at the person like the video stated.
 
That's irrelevant though when they're designed to point right at the person like the video stated.

If you listen to the video carefully, it actually says that it points at the ground in the direction of the object, creating a brighter line of light on the road. It doesn't illuminate the person, so there's no risk of blinding them.
 
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