Browse Topic: Visibility
The automotive industry is rapidly advancing towards autonomous vehicles, making sensors such as Cameras, LiDAR, and RADAR critical components for ensuring constant information exchange between the vehicle and its surrounding environment. However, these sensors are vulnerable to harsh environmental conditions like rain, dirt, snow, and bird droppings, which can impair their functionality and disrupt accurate vehicle maneuvers. To ensure all sensors operate effectively, dedicated cleaning is implemented, particularly for Level 3 and higher autonomous vehicles. It is important to test sensor cleaning mechanisms across different weather conditions and vehicle operating scenarios to ensure reliability and performance. One crucial aspect of testing is tracking the trajectory of the cleaning fluid to ensure it does not cause self-soiling of vehicles and affects the field of view or visibility zones of other components like the windshield. While wind tunnel tests are valuable, digitalizing
The growing environmental, economic, and social challenges have spurred a demand for cleaner mobility solutions. In response to the transformative changes in the automotive sector, manufacturers must prioritize digital validation of products, manufacturing processes, and tools prior to mass production. This ensures efficiency, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness. By utilizing 3D modelling of factory layouts, factory planners can digitally validate production line changes, substantially reducing costs when introducing new products. One key innovation involves creating 3D models using point cloud data from factory scans. Traditional factory scanning processes face limitations like blind spots and periodic scanning intervals. This research proposes using drones equipped with LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology for 3D scanning, enabling real-time mapping, autonomous operation, and efficient data collection. Drones can navigate complex areas, access small spaces, and optimize
Ambient light reflecting off internal components of the car, specifically the Head-Up Display (HUD), creates unwanted reflections on the Windshield. These reflections can obscure the driver's field of view, potentially compromising safety and reducing visual comfort. The extent of this obscuration is influenced by geometrical factors such as the angle of the HUD and the curvature of the Windshield, which need to be analyzed and managed. The primary motivation is to improve driver safety and visual comfort. This is driven by the need to address the negative impact of ambient light reflecting off Head-Up Displays (HUDs), which can impair visibility through the Windshield. There is a need for tools and methods to address this issue proactively during the vehicle design phase. This study employs a tool-based modeling method to trace the pathways of ambient light from its source, reflecting off the HUD, and onto the Windshield using a dimensional modeling tool. It focuses on: Geometrical
The objective of this study was to examine the effect of Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) of automotive LED headlamps on driver’s visibility and comfort during night driving. The experiment was conducted on different headlamps having different correlated colour temperatures ranging from 5000K to 6500K in laboratory. Further study was conducted involving participants of different age group and genders for understanding their perception to identify objects when observed in light of different LED headlamps with different CCTs. Studies have shown that both Correlated Colour Temperature and illumination level affect driver’s alertness and performance. Further study required on headlamps with automatically varying CCT to get better solution on driver’s visibility and safety.
In today's dynamic driving environments, reliable rear wiping functionality is essential for maintaining safe rearward visibility. This study sharing the next-generation rear wiper motor assembly that seamlessly integrates the washer nozzle, delivering improved performance alongside key benefits such as better Buzz, Squeak, and Rattle (BSR) characteristics, reduced system complexity, cost savings, and enhanced perceived quality. This integrated design simplifies the hose routing which improves the compactness and the efficiency of the design. This also enhances the spray coverage and minimizes the dry wiping unlike the traditional systems that position the washer nozzle separately. A non-return valve (NRV) is incorporated to eliminate spray delays ass it maintains consistent water flow giving cleaning effectiveness. Since this makes the nonfunctional parts completely leak proof due to the advanced sealing, it increases the durability and reliability in long run. As this proposal offers
The light and light signaling devices installation test as per as per IS/ ISO 12509:2004 & IS/ISO 12509:2023 for Earth Moving Machinery / Construction Equipment Vehicles is a mandatory test to ensure the safety and comfort of both road users and operators. Considering the shape and size of construction equipment vehicles, accurate measurement of lighting installation requirements is crucial for ensuring safety and regulatory compliance. The international standard IS/ISO 12509:2004 & IS/ISO 12509:2023 outlines specific criteria for these installation requirements of lighting components, including the precise measurement of various dimensions to ensure optimal visibility and safety. Among these dimensional requirements, the dimension 'E' i.e., the “distance between the outer edges of the machine and the illuminating surface of the lighting device” plays a critical role in the performance of vehicle lighting systems. Traditional methods of measuring this dimension, such as using a
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This SAE Standard provides test procedures, performance requirements, and guidelines for semiautomatic headlamp beam switching (SHBSD) devices.
The Operator’s Field of Vision (FOV) test, conducted in accordance with IS/ISO 5006:2017, is a vital assessment to ensure the safety and operational comfort of personnel operating Construction Equipment Vehicles (CEVs) / Earth-Moving Machinery. IS/ ISO 5006:2017 defines rigorous guidelines for evaluating the operator’s visibility from the driver's seat, with particular emphasis on the Filament Position Centre Point (FPCP), determined from the Seat Index Point (SIP) coordinates. The test includes assessment of masking areas, focusing on the Visibility Test Circle (a 24-meter diameter ground-level circle around the machine), and on the Rectangular Boundary on which a vertical test object is placed at a height specific to the machine type and its operating mass. These parameters are designed to simulate real-world operating conditions. This paper introduces a portable testing setup developed specifically for conducting the Operator’s FOV test as per IS/ISO 5006:2017. The setup facilitates
This document is a tool for the certifying authority, flight deck crew station designers, instrument suppliers, lighting suppliers, and component suppliers. It is an aid to understanding and meeting relevant regulatory requirements, particularly those relating to pilot compartment view (refer to 14 CFR § 25.773[a][2]) and instrument lights (refer to 14 CFR § 25.1381[a][2]) for glare arising from visible electromagnetic radiation.
This document establishes the minimum curriculum requirements for training, practical assessments, and certifying composite structure repair personnel and metalbond repair personnel. It establishes criteria for the certification of personnel requiring appropriate knowledge of the technical principles underlying the composite structural repairs and/or metalbond they perform. Persons certified under this document may be eligible for licensing/certification/qualification by an appropriate authority, in addition to this industry-accepted technician certification. Teaching levels have been assigned to the curriculum to define the knowledge, skills, and abilities graduates will need to make repairs to composite or metalbond structure. Minimum hours of instruction have been provided to ensure adequate coverage of all subject matter, including lecture and laboratory. These minimums may be exceeded and may include an increase in the total number of training hours and/or increase in the teaching
This document recommends criteria to assure adequate visibility from the flight deck. The flight-deck windshield must provide sufficient external vision to permit the pilot to perform any maneuvers within the operating limits of the aircraft safely and, at the same time, afford an unobstructed internal view of the flight instruments and other critical components and displays from the same eye position.
The Science and Technology Directorate's (S&T) National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) recently brought together emergency responders from across the nation to test unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) from the Blue UAS Cleared List. By providing an aerial vantage point, and creating standoff distance between responders and potential threats, UAS can significantly mitigate safety risks to responders by allowing them to assess and monitor incidents remotely. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C. In November 2024, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) teamed up with Mississippi State University's (MSU) Raspet Flight Research Laboratory, and DAGER Technology LLC, to conduct an assessment on selected models of cybersecure “Blue UAS.” The drones, including models from Ascent AeroSystems, Freefly Systems, Parrot Drones, Skydio, and Teal Drones, are cybersecure and commercially available to assist
Headlight glare remains a persistent problem to the U.S. driving public. Over the past 30 years, vehicle forward lighting and signaling systems have evolved dramatically in terms of styling and lighting technologies used. Importantly, vehicles driven in the U.S. have increased in size during this time as the proportion of pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) has increased relative to passenger sedans and other lower-height vehicles. Accordingly, estimates of typical driver eye height and the height of lighting and signaling equipment on vehicles from one or two decades ago are unlikely to represent the characteristics of current vehicles in the U.S. automotive market. In the present study we surveyed the most popular vehicles sold in the U.S. and carried out evaluations of the heights of lighting and signaling systems, as well as typical driver eye heights based on male and female drivers. These data may be of use to those interested in understanding how exposure to vehicle
This research explores the use of salt gradient solar ponds (SGSPs) as an environmentally friendly and efficient method for thermal energy storage. The study focuses on the design, construction, and performance evaluation of SGSP systems integrated with reflectors, comparing their effectiveness against conventional SGSP setups without reflectors. Both experimental and numerical methods are employed to thoroughly assess the thermal behavior and energy efficiency of these systems. The findings reveal that the SGSP with reflectors (SGSP-R) achieves significantly higher temperatures across all three zones—Upper Convective Zone (UCZ), Non-Convective Zone (NCZ), and Lower Convective Zone (LCZ)—with recorded temperatures of 40.56°C, 54.2°C, and 63.1°C, respectively. These values represent an increase of 6.33%, 11.12%, and 14.26% over the temperatures observed in the conventional SGSP (SGSP-C). Furthermore, the energy efficiency improvements in the UCZ, NCZ, and LCZ for the SGSP-R are
This research aimed to explore the integration of Virtual reality technology in ergonomically testing automotive interior designs. This objective was aimed at ensuring that such technology could be used to ameliorate user comfort through controlled simulations. Existing ergonomic testing methods are often limited when it comes to recreating actual driving situations and quickly repeating design improvements. VR could be used as a solution because its ergonomically tested simulation can be used to provide users with the real experience of driving. The users can be observed while they experience it and asked for their feedback. For this research, an interactive VR environment imitating a 10-minute-long trip through traffic and changing road conditions was created. It was populated by ten users, concatenated equally in men and women, both aged 20-35, representing approximate demographics of workers in the automotive production industry. Participants of the research were asked to use
Letter from the Guest Editors
This SAE Recommended Practice establishes three alternate methods for describing and evaluating the truck driver's viewing environment: the Target Evaluation, the Polar Plot and the Horizontal Planar Projection. The Target Evaluation describes the field of view volume around a vehicle, allowing for ray projections, or other geometrically accurate simulations, that demonstrate areas visible or non-visible to the driver. The Target Evaluation method may also be conducted manually, with appropriate physical layouts, in lieu of CAD methods. The Polar Plot presents the entire available field of view in an angular format, onto which items of interest may be plotted, whereas the Horizontal Planar Projection presents the field of view at a given elevation chosen for evaluation. These methods are based on the Three Dimensional Reference System described in SAE J182a. This document relates to the driver's exterior visibility environment and was developed for the heavy truck industry (Class B
Sensata Technologies' booth at this year's IAA Transportation tradeshow included two of the company's Precor radar sensors. The PreView STA79 is a heavy-duty vehicle side-monitoring system launched in May 2024 and designed to comply with Europe-wide blind spot monitoring legislation introduced in June 2024. The PreView Sentry 79 is a front- and rear-monitoring system. Both systems operate on the 79-GHz band as the nomenclature suggests. PreView STA79 can cover up to three vehicle zones: a configurable center zone, which can monitor the length of the vehicle, and two further zones that can be independently set to align with individual customer needs. The system offers a 180-degree field of view to eliminate blind spots along the vehicle sides and a built-in measurement unit that will increase the alert level when turning toward an object even when the turn indicator is not used. The system also features trailer mitigation to reduce false positive alerts on the trailer when turning. The
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