J578_201902 Color Specification

Revised

02/26/2019

Features
Issuing Committee
Scope
Content
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
Content
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.
Meta TagsDetails
DOI
https://doi.org/10.4271/J578_201902
Pages
8
Citation
SAE International Technical Standard, Color Specification, SAE Standard J578_201902, Revised February 2019, Issued January 1942, https://doi.org/10.4271/J578_201902.
Additional Details
Publisher
Published
Feb 26, 2019
Product Code
J578_201902
Content Type
Technical Standard
Status
Revised
Language
English