This SAE Standard defines and provides a means for the control of colors employed in motor vehicle external lighting equipment, including lamps and reflex reflectors. The document applies to the overall effective color of light emitted by the device in any given direction, and not to the color of the light from a small area of the lens. It does not apply to pilot, indicator, or tell-tale lights.
Rationale
There are instances where two distinct lighting functions with different individual colors, when operated simultaneously, may cause confusion in a traffic environment by producing a color of light different than that of either function operated alone. This SAE J578 update provides guidance for device testers and lighting manufacturers on awareness and managing this effect, which can occur during simultaneous operation of multiple lighting functions that are optically combined or separate, but in close proximity. The optically combined situation is addressed in this document, but the close proximity situation is not because present color measurement and optical simulation approaches cannot reliably predict and measure it.
The precautions in A.1 were modified and moved to Section 4, because they pertain to color variations likely to occur in optically combined lamps providing multiple lighting functions of differing colors.
The title of SAE J774, “Emergency Warning Device and Emergency Warning Device Protective Container,” was updated.
The publication number of CFR Title 49 Part 571.125, “Warning Devices, 39 FR 28636, Aug. 9, 1974 as amended at 40 FR 4, Jan. 2, 1975,” was updated.
The publication number of CFR Title 49 Part 571.108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment (FMVSS 108),” was updated.
A.6, which listed ASTM E308 as a cited publication, was removed, since this document is already referenced in 2.1.3.
The Lighting Standard Practices Committee is part of the Lighting Systems Steering Committee that reports to the Motor Vehicle Council (MVC). The committee is responsible for developing and maintaining SAE Standards, Recommended Practices and Information Reports related to the general support of documents in other VESG committees that are related to exterior lighting devices used on passenger cars, light trucks, vans and multipurpose vehicles. The committee monitors the development of related technologies and determines how they may be applied to general practice documents while also working to support the development of standards to aid in the application of various lighting technologies. Task forces may be developed in the future to support these activities. The committee welcomes input from OEM¿s, suppliers, consulting firms, government, academic institutions and other interested parties
* Redlines comparisons are available for those standards
listed in the Revision History that contain a radio button. A
redline comparison of the current version against a revision is
accomplished by selecting the radio button next to the standard and
then selecting 'compare'. At this time, Redline versions only exist
for some AMS standards. SAE will continue to add redline versioning
with ongoing updates to SAE MOBILUS.
View/Annotate
Content Loading, Please Wait
Document Preview
Content Loading, Please Wait
Document Comparison
Content Loading, Please Wait
Download
A list of downloadable items.
Product Code
Document Title
File Type
Download
J578_201902
Color Specification
Export Metadata
This modal will allow the user to download citation information or export specific fields of data into one of three file formats: Excel, comma-separated values, or text.
You are currently not logged into your Dashboard account, which is required for annotating.
Please select Login to login or register for the Dashboard. Select Continue to view the content without the ability to annotate.
Redline Warning
You are currently not logged into your Dashboard account, which is required for annotating.
Please select Login to login or register for the Dashboard. Select Continue to view the content without the ability to annotate.
Data Set Warning
Color Specification
SAE Journal Subscriptions are available in a variety of options, which include electronic, electronic with back file, and archive. For detailed information and options, please complete the following:
Content Request
Check My Access!
You may already have access to the Ground Vehicle Standard, Color Specification
Subscription Access
If you have Subscription Access with a username and password, please login below.
Institutional Login
If you have Institutional Access to SAE MOBILUS, using a predetermined organizational login utilizing single-sign-on (Shibboleth), please login below. To request institutional access to SAE MOBILUS, please complete the institutional subscription information form.
Purchase
If you do not have access to SAE MOBILUS via username/password or institutional access, you can still purchase the Ground Vehicle Standard, Color Specification.
Search Tips: Search Operators:AND, OR, NOT; Wild Cards; Using Quotes
SAE MOBILUS® Search Tips
Please note: All terms not contained within quotes, will be evaluated using the OR operator. This means that your search results will contain all results that contain ANY of the entered terms.
AND, OR, NOT
SAE MOBILUS supports the use of the AND, OR and NOT BOOLEAN operators ONLY function with the Advanced Search.
Wild Cards
Using the asterisk, ( * ) allows you to search for a partial word. For example, entering a keyword search of aero* will search for any word beginning with aero.
Using the question mark, ( ? ) allows you to search for a word with a single character wildcard. For example, searching for t?re would match both tire and tyre
Using Quotes
Words in double quotes " " are treated as a phrase. Conducting a search for "heat model" will return all results in which the exact phrase "heat model" is found, while "heat modeling" would NOT be included.
A term combined with a phrase will be joined with an OR operator.
Searching for Standards
When searching for a standard please use the entire Document Number assigned, which includes the abbreviation. A space can be used, or omitted between the abbreviation and number.