Selective dimming lights

[sobrique]

On the way home tonight, I was wondering - you dip your lights as other cars go past.
But in the grand scheme of things, a 'headlight' isn't overly different to a backlit LCD - you _could_ use an LCD to make 'light' and 'dark' patches in your headlamps.

So I think it should be possible to have a (directional) light sensor, that 'dips' the section of your headlight that's pointed towards another light source (like - another car).

Comments

[fearmeforiampink]

But would it automatically activate in the presence of other lights that you don't want it to? Also, arguably there's little 'cost' involved in the human action to turn them down, and the gain of making you more aware of another car in poorly lit circumstances.

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

It would, but you would still be pointed at a light source. As for other drivers etc. You really do lose a lot of your vision switching from full to dipped, when there is no street lighting. If you could go "half way" without dazzling the other driver then that would be a real boon.

[warmage.livejournal.com]

I might argue that with a proper set of driving lamps/fog lamps the need to drive with your high-beams engaged is greatly diminished. My understanding was that headlamps were designed, as much or more, so that other drivers see you. What you're describing strikes me as an elegant solution to a non-existent problem ;)

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

I'd dispute the notion - I can see dipped lights as well as headlights, the only real difference is how far away I can see the scatter.
However it's _definitely_ the case with my dipped lights, on an otherwise dark road, at the convergence point when both cars pass, your night vision is really limited by their lights, and visibility drops a lot.

As for fog lamps - I think the argument I'd make there, is they're called that for a reason :)

[lostdreamer666.livejournal.com]

Actually, I would argue the opposite. Main beam makes auxillary lighting pointless. Any situtation in which you can't use main beam you also can't use spots etc either.

[zaitan.livejournal.com]

Steerable beams already exist so how about extending that tech to reduce light to other drivers automatically?

It also means you would not have to solve the heat dissipation issues of using an LCD.

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I'll have a look. Sounds interesting.