Ford Unveils Glare-Free Highbeam that Automatically Does the Dipping

Motorists who spend a lot of time travelling through dark highways know what a difference flicking the high-beams on can make. However, they might be forgotten to be dipped for oncoming traffic. In its goal to tackle this problem, Ford’s all-new Glare-Free Highbeam system tracks other road users and adapts the beam’s shape to spare them a case of flash blindness.

Just like Mercedes’ adaptive high-beam assistant and Volvo’s anti-dazzle headlamps, the American automaker’s system employs a camera mounted behind the windscreen to spot the taillights or headlights or cars and bikes up to 800 m (2,625 ft) up the road. In the event another vehicle is spotted, the system communicates with the car’s dynamic LED headlamps, which then adjust the headlight beam angle and intensity.

The amount of adjustment the Glare-Free system makes to the beam is calculated based on a few factors such as the amount of ambient light around, speed, steering angle, the distance of the car in front and whether or not the windscreen wipers are activated. In order to ensure that drivers do not miss out on the exciting benefits of the system, it is automatically activated in low light, which suggests the user does not have to be specifically bright to use it.

In a statement, Ford research engineer, Michael Koherr, said that they have found some drivers are too concerned about dazzling other road users that they do not use high beam at all. He noted that Ford’s Glare-Free Highbeam technology could eliminate that stress for drivers, and softly transitioning between settings also helps motorists’ eyes adjust faster to changing light quantities.

The highly revolutionary Glare-Free Highbeam system is available on the new Galaxy and S-MAX, and will also be featured on the upcoming Edge SUV.