Gentex Smartbeam on Volkswagen Cars

Specifically, the Gentex SmartBeam feature is now available as an option in Europe on the VW Eos, Golf, Jetta, Jetta Sportswagen, Passat, Passat CC, Scirocco, Touran and Sharan.

SmartBeam uses a miniature camera-on-a-chip combined with algorithmic decision-making to automatically operate a vehicle's high beams in order to optimise their usage according to surrounding traffic conditions. The system maximises forward lighting while eliminating the repetitive task of turning the high beams on and off manually.

SmartBeam is integrated into a Gentex auto-dimming mirror, which automatically darkens to eliminate glare from the headlamps of vehicles approaching from the rear.

“Gentex’s SmartBeam system was the first of its kind, and it continues to gain popularity around the world,” said Gentex senior vice president Enoch Jen. “This rollout across the VW Group shows how the feature is helping to improve forward lighting and driver safety on vehicles in every market segment, including compact cars, SUVs and minivans.”

Gentex’s SmartBeam was designed to optimise high-beam usage on any type of vehicle. In the case of the VW Group, SmartBeam is controlling the auto high-beam function on a range of vehicles, from the VW Golf compact car to the spacious, multi-purpose Sharan.

“SmartBeam’s success is the basis for a whole new category of adaptive lighting technologies that are currently being developed,” continued Jen. “The product’s debut marked the first time a camera system was successfully used to optimise forward lighting, and now it’s rapidly becoming a ‘must-have’ feature across all vehicle segments.”

The next generation of SmartBeam products will not only automate high- and low-beam switching, but also will produce continuously variable low-beam patterns, and control “constant ON” high beam systems that require “next-generation” headlamp hardware currently being developed by various headlamp manufacturers. For these future systems, SmartBeam generates “block-out” or “glare-free” zones around oncoming and preceding traffic, allowing light to be cast around surrounding traffic for maximum forward lighting.

“Gentex develops and manufactures its own custom-engineered, automotive-grade imagers designed specifically for forward lighting optimisation,” continued Jen. “This allows us to offer our automotive customers a fully integrated, scalable, highly functional, and competitively priced system that drives value.”

The value of improved forward lighting is well documented. Studies in the U.S. and Europe suggest that drivers significantly underutilise their high beams. Whether it's out of fear of blinding other drivers, annoyance at constantly turning them on and off, or just plain forgetfulness, studies show that drivers often don’t use their high beams even when conditions would justify their use. SmartBeam optimises forward visibility by automating high-beam usage, which allows drivers to better identify and react to potential hazards in the road ahead.

Gentex has shipped more than 1.5 million SmartBeam units since the feature debuted in the U.S. in the 2005 model year. Last year alone, the company shipped approximately 437,000 SmartBeam units compared with approximately 295,000 units in 2008. Gentex expects SmartBeam unit shipments to increase by approximately 30-40 percent in calendar year 2010 compared with 2009.

Credits: wilswong