ACC radar systems gather valuable data about the speed of forward vehicles, and then utilize that information to best regulate the spacing between those forward vehicles and the ACC host. However, such radar-gathered data can also be useful to help prevent rear-end collisions involving the host vehicle. Embedded in that data is information revealing decelerations of forward vehicles that holds particular value to any driver that might be trailing the host vehicle - especially if their vision is screened by the bulk of the host vehicle.
In this paper, a hybrid stop lamp system is proposed whereby ACC radar data gathered by a host vehicle is automatically conveyed to the trailing driver utilizing a new light element integrated with the host vehicle's stop lamp system. Such an ‘intelligent brake light’ (i-B.L.) system allows trailing drivers to effectively ‘see’ the braking status two vehicles in front of them instead of just one, thus providing them with an extra 0.7 to 1.3 seconds of braking time.
This paper will introduce the hybrid ACC/i-B.L. concept, study the functional, the technical, and the aesthetic options for integrating such a new light with conventional stop lamps and discuss the regulatory obstacles that would need to be overcome for testing and implementing.