High vehicle safety is a great selling point today and it should be. Ford is always looking for new ways to improve safety for drivers and passengers, and their latest innovation is in the area of headlights. It is developing new headlight tech that projects signs in front of the driver, onto the road to help keep them focused and alerted.
Ford is still working on this system, but to define it loosely, it has the potential to improve driver alertness on the road. It does this by behaving like a head-up display, keeping drivers better informed and focused on what’s ahead. If it works as Ford has claimed that it does, then we can expect it to be revolutionary.
The following is all that you need to know about it:
Contents
Ford’s safety headlights
Background
On 15th August, Ford released a video showcasing their upcoming technology – high-resolution headlights. These will utilize cameras and satellite navigation to help you drive safely. They’ll work using real-time systems and give you the information accordingly.
To explain it simply, the headlights that Ford is developing won’t just illuminate the road better; they’ll also display important symbols or messages on the road for the driver to see. These headlights are super high-resolution and they’ll allow the LED headlamps to potentially project all sorts of symbols carrying information on the road.
They’ll be a great addition for those who may be easily distracted or have trouble seeing at night. As a result, the driver will get a heads-up as to the conditions of the road or if there is anything important for them to look out for. Ford expects it to prevent many accidents.
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Applications
While the system is still in development, the potential applications are many. For instance, the system could be used to remind drivers of the posted speed limit when they enter a work zone. It could also be used to display the symbols for a stop sign or yield sign at an intersection where the line of sight is obstructed.
Apart from alerting you about the rules of the road, the setup can also provide you info and caution you about anything hazardous that you cannot see from afar. For instance, if the car detects a patch of ice ahead, it could display a symbol that warns you to slow down.
One of the reasons for the potential success of this tech is that it is not just beneficial careless drivers. In fact, many drivers tend to rely on road signs and markings. But if the signage is unclear or difficult to see, they tend to miss out on the warnings. This system will use navigation to caution the users no matter what.
Furthermore, unlike most warnings and displays (including road signage), this technology stands out because the driver can look straight at what’s ahead of them and make decisions accordingly, instead of having to look elsewhere.
Ford says it’s optimistic that this technology will eventually make its way into production vehicles. The American automaker (rightfully) believes that this rather simple piece of tech can help lower the number of accidents to improve safety.
Criticism
While this technology has been lauded by many, there are some naysayers as well. Consumers are skeptical as to whether this technology will work well in rainy and snowy conditions where they’re especially required. Some have also criticized Ford for overdoing it and that a head-up display would’ve been better.
There’s no surety whether these headlamps will project the symbols directly onto the road for others to see. If they do, then it could be termed as a distraction. If not, then they’re just displaying symbols on the windscreen, which may just be a poor substitute for a head-up display.
Other Ford safety tech
There’s no doubt that Ford is working hard in the R & D department to make its vehicles safer for everyone on the road. The automaker is constantly developing new systems that can possibly improve safety on roadways. The tech discussed in this article is just one example of the American automaker’s stress on reducing accidents.
While the new projection tech is still in development, Ford is already using other advanced technologies to help improve road traffic safety. The world’s oldest carmaker offers a number of standard driver-assist features on its vehicles, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and automatic emergency braking.
