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Terminology—Motor Vehicle Lighting
- Ground Vehicle Standard
- J387_200701
- Revised
Sector:
Issuing Committee:
Language:
English
Scope
This SAE Recommended Practice provides definitions of common terms used in SAE Documents pertaining to motor vehicle lighting. It covers not only basic lighting terms but also terms which identify major segments of technical reports.
Rationale
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Move those definitions from J1383 to J387 that are “common terms used in SAE Technical Reports”.
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Removed common definitions for “Light” and “Device”.
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Spelling errors corrected 3.1.14 (measuring), 3.3.1 (ratio), 3.1.10 (specified and conducting), 3.2 (contains and reflector) and 3.5.4 (without).
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Examples or clarification added to 3.1.3 (An example would be…), 3.1.5 (LED), 3.2.1 (“lighted sections” added), 3.2.11 (DLS), 3.3.1 (Examples are…), 3.4.1 (DRL), 3.5.1 (Another common term…) and 3.5.5 (Definition added for “visually/optically aimable headlamp”.)
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Terms such as reciprocally incorporated lamps, grouped lamps and single lamps were not included since they are not currently used in SAE technical papers.
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A new definition for “Designed to Comply” was not included because there is no current consensus for the change and for its wording.
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3.1.14 Gaging Standard re-written for clarity and reviewed at Anaheim.
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3.3.3 The “Signal Lamp Pilot Indicator” name is used since FMVSS references J588e, Sept. ’70 which uses this term. A reference to “Tell Tale” has been noted.
Note paragraph numbers are relative to the last version. Document completely revised.
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Scope, “Technical Reports” changed to “Documents”.
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3.2.3b the line was changed from “…partially common on two or more lamp functions” to “…partially common for two or more lamp functions.”
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3.2.8 definition of H-V axis was not changed because this definition is related to the lamp (product) not the vehicle plus the lamp is not photometered on the vehicle. See the definition for “Optical Axis”
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3.2.8 SAE standards refers to “photometering a lamp” not reading or testing, therefore in the definition for H-V Axis, I changed the definition from read to photometered.
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3.3 I agree side turn signal is a lamp that supplements the primary signal.
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3.3.3 eliminated the word “indicator” at the end of the second sentence.
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3.4 Cargo was placed in “Other Illumination Devices” and DRL moved to “Other Luminance Devices”.
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3.4 Reflex Lamps changed to Reflex reflectors and placed under “Signal and Marking, Lighting Devices”
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3.5 Road Illumination Devices was used in the new format. Cornering lamps were placed in Supplemental Illumination Devices.
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3.5 The terms Upper and Lower Beam are used in SAE documents and referenced in the definition of High and Low Beam.
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3.5.1 and 3.5.2 Terms such as “passing beam” and “driving beam” were not included since they are not currently used in SAE technical papers as Marcin earlier agreed not to include definitions for “reciprocally incorporated lamps, grouped lamps and single lamps”. Since most of the US population lives in urban areas, driving beam could easily be construed as the low beam since it is the beam used most of the time. Furthermore, high beam is more commonly used in Europe than driving beam and the term driving beam would be confusing to most except automotive regulators and engineers. And although “dipped beam” is used in Europe more commonly than “passing beam”, the term low beam could logically be concluded to describe the dipped beam when most of the world understands the term high beam.
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3.5.6 Adaptive Forward Lighting System is the current terminology used in SAE J2591. When J 2591 is changed to “Front Lighting” then this definition would be changed.
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Note document has been completely revised with new headings that agree with SAE terminology and reflect the changes / corrections most recently noted during balloting. These new categories have eliminated confusion by some as to a lamp’s proper category. These categories are as follows:
1. Scope 3.7 Illumination Devices 5. Notes 2. References 3.8 Road Illumination Devices 3. Definitions 3.9 Supplemental Road Illumination Devices 3.1 Light Source 3.10 Test Fixtures 3.2 Lamp 3.11 Switches and Flashers 3.3 Photometry Terms 3.12 Unit 3.4 Signaling Devices 4. Technical Report Content 3.5 Supplemental Signaling Devices 4.1 Guidelines 3.6 Marking Devices 4.2 Requirements -
Note under the above categories that the definitions have been placed in alphabetical order to further aid the user in finding a definition.
Every attempt has been made to make these definitions clear, precise and accurate using only SAE lighting terminology found in SAE documents and technical reports.
11/29/06 – The following additional changes / corrections were made from comments:
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In paragraph 3.2.3, the following phrase was removed, “An example: The axis of reference for lamps mounted on the front and rear of a vehicle is the longitudinal axis of the vehicle” because this is not an example of a centroid.
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In paragraph 3.2.12 and 3.3.6, “filament center” was replaced with “light source center” because not all light sources have filaments.
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In paragraph 3.3.3, spelling error for “angles” corrected.
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In paragraph 3.3.4 and 3.3.7 “—“ was deleted in title.
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In paragraph 3.3.9, “turn” was added to read turn signal/park ratio.
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In paragraph 3.4, “vehicle intention” changed to “operator intention”.
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Definition for “Parking lamp” revised in paragraph 3.6. (“by a steady burning, low intensity light” added”).
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Reference to license lamp deleted from 3.6.
Recommended Content
| Ground Vehicle Standard | Terminology - Motor Vehicle Lighting |
| Ground Vehicle Standard | Semiautomatic Headlamp Beam Switching Devices |
Data Sets - Support Documents
No Datasets Available
Issuing Committee
Lighting Standard Practices Committee
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
Reference
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