Development of New Forward Lighting Systems with Controllable Beams

In recent years, traffic fatalities in Japan have consistently numbered in excess of 10,000, making them a serious social issue. Among these deaths resulting from traffic accidents, fatal accidents occurring at night outnumber daytime fatalities by three to one; when conditions are rainy, this figure increases to ten to one. These facts point to the importance of the role of automobile forward lighting systems. In order to provide enhanced nighttime safety measures, we have been working since 1990 on the development of a headlamp system that can control and adjust the headlamp beam in response to driving conditions. In this report, we will outline the general features, functions and lighting performance of forward lighting systems, focusing on this newly developed headlamp system.