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Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
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This report is an archived publication and may contain dated technical, contact, and link information
Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-04-148
Date: December 2005

Enhanced Night Visibility Series, Volume XVII: Phases II and III—Characterization of Experimental Vision Enhancement Systems

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CHAPTER 5—HEADLAMP CHARACTERIZATION

In ENV Volume XV, Influence of Beam Characteristics on Discomfort and Disability Glare, the beam patterns of various headlamps were objectively classified for use as an independent variable. Accordingly, a method for comparatively determining the beam patterns was created. Headlamps were classified as low, medium, or high in relative intensity of the beam and as wide, medium, or narrow in the relative width of the beam. A comparison across all data from available designs was made by determining the width at the intensity level of 12,000 cd. This level was used because it was the closest region approximate to half of the maximum intensity (i.e., 50 percent beam angle) for the lowest available value obtained (25,978 cd) from all of the headlamp designs. Table 25 shows the beam characterizations of various headlamp designs and their extremes and norms. Table 26 shows the headlamps and their corresponding beam characteristics selected for use in ENV Volume XV.

Table 25. Headlamp characterization data.
Headlamp Beam
Width
Dist F
@ 1.5
Lux
20 m / −3
Left
Hotspot Max Left
2,000
Right
2,000
Width
2,000
Up
2,000
Down
2,000
Height
2,000
Left
12,000
Right
12,000
Width
12,000
Up
12,000
Down
12,000
Height
12,000
HID Narrow 19.5 0.65Lux 34449 0.8D/2.6R −23.5 23.5 47.0 0.5 −9.0 9.5 −3.0 6.0 9.0 0.5 −2.5 3.00
HLB* Narrow no data no data 30139.84 2.0D/0R −17.5 17.5 35.0 0.0 −7.5 7.5 −4.0 5.5 9.5 0.0 −3.25 3.25
HID/HID 4* Narrow 20.5 0.45Lux 40778 1.0D/1.6R −29.5 30.0 59.5 0.5 −8.0 8.5 −3.5 6.0 9.5 0.0 −2.5 2.50
HID Narrow 19.0 0.55Lux 26984 0.8D/1.8R −33.0 40.0 73.0 0.5 −7.0 7.5 −5.5 6.5 12.0 0.0 −2.0 2.00
HID Narrow 23.5 0.65Lux 30666 1.4D/1.8R −31.5 23.5 55.0 −0.5 −8.0 7.5 −7.0 7.0 14.0 0.0 −3.0 3.00
HID Narrow 23.0 0.85Lux 32882 1.6D/1.8R −22.0 26.5 48.5 0.0 −10.0 10.0 −5.5 9.5 15.0 −0.5 −3.5 3.00
HID Narrow 19.5 0.90Lux 27145 0.6D/2.0R −23.5 27.0 50.5 0.0 −7.0 7.0 −7.0 9.0 16.0 0.0 −4.0 4.00
HID Narrow 22.0 0.55Lux 38795 1.8D/2.0R −27.0 27.0 54.0 0.0 −7.0 7.0 −9.0 8.0 17.0 −1.0 −4.0 3.00
HID Medium 21.5 0.75Lux 30753 1.2D/1.8R −23.0 23.0 46.0 0.5 −8.0 8.5 −7.5 10.5 18.0 0.0 −2.5 2.50
HID Medium 24.0 0.85Lux 39953 0.8D/2.0R −22.5 31.0 53.5 0.0 −9.0 9.0 −8.0 11.5 19.5 0.5 −2.5 3.00
HID Medium 26.0 0.75Lux 41431 1.4D/2.8R −26.0 21.5 47.5 1.0 −7.0 8.0 −8.5 11.0 19.5 0.0 −2.5 2.50
HID Medium 25.0 0.95Lux 41830 1.0D/2.2R −29.5 33.5 63.0 0.0 −9.0 9.0 −5.0 14.5 19.5 0.5 −2.0 2.50
HID Medium 21.5 0.75Lux 28120 0.8D/3.6R −26.5 27.0 53.5 0.5 −8.5 9.0 −8.0 12.0 20.0 1.0 −2.0 3.00
HID 3* Medium 21.5 0.65Lux 35771 0.8D/2.2R −17.0 25.0 42.0 1.0 −6.5 7.5 −9.0 11.0 20.0 0.5 −3.0 3.50
HID Medium 22.0 0.85Lux 28864 1.0D/1.8R −31.0 33.5 64.5 1.5 −7.5 9.0 −9.0 11.5 20.5 −0.5 −4.0 3.50
HID Medium 24.0 0.75Lux 35916 1.8D/2.2R −25.0 26.5 51.5 −0.5 −13.0 12.5 −9.5 11.0 20.5 −1.0 −6.0 5.00
HID Medium 22.0 0.95Lux 43430 0.8D/2.4R −26.0 31.0 57.0 0.5 −8.0 8.5 −11.0 12.5 23.5 −0.5 −2.5 2.00
HID Wide 26.0 0.95Lux 45034 1.0D/2.4R −27.0 35.0 62.0 1.0 −10.0 11.0 −9.5 14.0 23.5 0.0 −3.5 3.50
HID Wide 22.5 0.95Lux 27127 1.4D/2.0R −29.0 27.0 56.0 0.0 −7.5 7.5 −13.0 11.0 24.0 0.0 −4.5 4.50
HID Wide 24.0 1.00Lux 36847 1.2/3.0R −23.0 23.0 46.0 0.0 −7.5 7.5 −11.0 13.0 24.0 0.0 −3.0 3.00
HID Wide 25.0 0.75Lux 41562 1.2D/2.0R −22.5 25.5 48.0 0.0 −7.5 7.5 −11.0 13.0 24.0 −0.5 −3.0 2.50
HID Wide 24.0 0.85Lux 36061 1.6D/2.2R −22.5 23.0 45.5 −0.5 −8.0 7.5 −11.0 13.5 24.5 0.0 −2.5 2.50
HID Wide 24.5 1.00Lux 40472 0.8D/0.2R −28.5 27.0 55.5 0.0 −15.0 15.0 −12.0 12.5 24.5 0.0 −4.0 4.00
HID 1* Wide 20.0 0.95Lux 28772 0.2D/2.0R −23.0 25.0 48.0 2.0 −5.5 7.5 −10.5 14.5 25.0 1.5 −2.5 4.00
HID Wide 21.5 0.95Lux 25978 0.8D/3.2R −35.5 42.0 77.5 1.5 −10.0 11.5 −12.5 13.5 26.0 0.0 −3.0 3.00
HID 2* Wide 23.5 0.75Lux 43181 2.2D/.4R −23.0 26.5 49.5 0.5 −7.0 7.5 −13.0 13.5 26.5 0.0 −2.5 2.50


Table 26. Headlamp characterization matrix.
Narrow Beam Width Medium Beam Width Wide
Beam Width
High Beam
Intensity
HID 1   HID 2
Medium Beam Intensity   HID 3  
Low Beam
Intensity
HLB   HID/HID 4

 

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