Smart headlamps get green light
The Adaptive Front-lighting Systems (AFS) had been banned in Europe and several other countries including the US until regulations were finalised to ensure their safety.
Now the European Commission says it can adopt standards agreed at UN level and the new clever car headlamps should be available to all cars in the next year or two.
The headlamps adapt their beam patterns depending on the type of road such as wide motorways, in well-lit towns or on narrow country roads. They adjust vertically for oncoming traffic and horizontally around curves in the road.
They respond to traffic and weather conditions and reduce the risk of blinding on-coming drivers with glare.
The smart lamps can adapt to a winding road and adjusting their illumination in response to steering angles and vehicle speeds.
Announcing plans to make AFS more available in the future, EU Commission Vice-President Gunter Verheugen, who is responsible for enterprise and industry policy, said: "Advances in headlamp technology can offer drivers benefits in terms of comfort and safety. We want to do all we can to encourage their wider use."
The adaptive headlamps are currently available on some top of the range models but manufacturers have to go through special procedures to get permission.
Once the European Parliament and EU member country governments agree, the commission will adopt the new United Nations Regulation governing approval of AFS.
Nissan has already announced plans to gradually introduce AFS lighting on all its models once it is approved.
