Ford has been busy innovating lately. Following our report that the Blue Oval system may be working on a camera system that can automatically flag down speeding drivers, news has emerged that the company is also trying to modernize the headlight.
a patentwhich Ford filed early last year but was recently published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) includes a headlamp system that follows the driver’s gaze and adjusts the direction of the light beam accordingly.
The automaker says the powerful headlights, by tracking the driver’s line of sight, can help illuminate potential obstacles and vulnerable road users who may not be in the direct line of sight of the headlights.
According to Auto123Ford is proposing to combine eye and head tracking systems with the car’s already installed object-detection technology, which normally relies on video and radar to detect obstacles.
When the two systems work together, the technology can recognize when a driver sees an animal or pedestrian on the side of the road, for example, and adjust the beam of the headlights to illuminate the area and better identify potential hazards.
Eyes on the prize
As with Ford’s potential camera-based speed technology, this is still just a patent application for now, so it may never see the light of day. But it’s interesting to see where the headlight technology goes.
Matrix LED headlights have made the biggest technological leap forward in recent years. For example, Audi has introduced systems that can automatically switch off individual high-power LEDs, so that the high beam can remain switched on without dazzling oncoming traffic.
In the US, modern matrix LED headlights that automatically change direction have only recently become legal, following a rule change dating back to 1967.
Headlamp systems that automatically influence steering have been in use for a number of years, but eye-tracking seems to be the next logical step for some manufacturers to take.
In addition to Ford’s recently filed patent revelation, General Motors (and more specifically Vauxhall and Opel) is also reportedly working on a research project that would similarly track the driver’s gaze and adjust the direction of the headlights accordingly.
However, New Atlas says the project had problems with slow data processing and headlight actuators that couldn’t keep up with input. Likewise, the natural tendency of a driver’s eyes to dart around resulted in erratic high-beam movements.
Apparently this was combated with an algorithm that slowed down the response somewhat and resulted in smoother movements. Either way, both proposed technologies seem to be in the testing phase for now, with no news on when we might see it go into production.