DESIGN OF THE MEETING BEAM OF THE AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHT

THE MOST-IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE DESIGN OF THE TYPICAL MEETING BEAM, SO FAR AS THE RANGE OF DIRECT SEEING IS CONCERNED, IS THE SHARPNESS AND FORM OF THE CUTOFF NEAR THE HORIZONTAL. BUT THE EFFECT WHICH THE CUTOFF WILL HAVE ON THE LIKELIHOOD OF BEING DAZZLED (I.E., OF BEING RENDERED IN- CAPABLE OF SEEING MORE THAN A SHORT DISTANCE) WHEN MEETING OTHER VEHICLES AT NIGHT DEPENDS ENORMOUSLY ON THE ACCURACY WITH WHICH MEETING BEAMS ARE AIMED. THE EFFECT CAN BE CALCULATED WHEN THE STANDARD OF AIMING IS KNOWN. THE BASIS OF THE CALCULATION AND SOME RESULTS ARE GIVEN IN THIS PAPER. CURVES ARE PROVIDED FROM WHICH MAY BE FOUND THE SHARPNESS OF CUTOFF REQUIRED TO GIVE ANY DESIRED LEVEL OF FREEDOM FROM DAZZLE, OR GLARE. IT IS SHOWN THAT IF THE STANDARD OF AIMING IS TOO LOW IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO DESIGN A BEAM TO FULFILL THE REQUIRED CONDITIONS. THE NECESSARY IMPROVEMENT IN AIMING CAN, HOWEVER, BE DETERMINED FROM THE CURVES. THE EFFECT OF DETERIORATION IN INCREASING THE LIABILITY TO DAZZLE IS ALSO CONSIDERED. THE PITCHING MOTION OF THE VEHICLE, AND ITS EFFECT ON SEEING DISTANCE AND ON INTERMITTENT GLARE, HAVE HAD TO BE OMITTED FROM THIS ANALYSIS. THE EFFECT WILL BE MORE IMPORTANT THE SHARPER THE CUTOFF EMPLOYED. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrbbulletin/68/68-004.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • No 68, pp 40-53, 12 FIG, 1 TAB, 6 REF Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • HARRIS, A J
• Publication Date: 1953

Media Info

• Monograph Title: Effect of tinted windshields and vehicle headlighting on night visibility
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Bulletin
  • Issue Number: 68
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Glare; Headlamps; Low beamed headlamps; Motion; Sight distance
• Old TRIS Terms: Low beamed headlights
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00220375
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Apr 21 1994 12:00AM