Status report on efforts to resolve concerns related to automatic headlamp leveling provisions and their impact on visibility and on-coming driver glare.
11. The expert from GTB introduced the results of their studies on visibility and glare (GRE-71-15 and GRE-71-32). The study concentrated on levelling in relation to load and its major objectives were to improve the understanding of different factors that influence visibility and glare and to identify results of the study that might reveal alternatives for automatic static levelling. The expert from OICA recalled their presentations on loading definitions and achievable aiming tolerances (see also GRE-67-27 and GRE-68-20).
12. The expert from Poland introduced a revised proposal ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRE/2014/11 on initial aiming of dipped-beam headlamps and considering the original 75 +/-25 m visibility distance requirement.
13. GRE was of the view that the study had pointed out that the type of light source and its luminous flux are not the deciding factors in headlamp glare. Instead, the most important factors seem to be the vehicle pitch angle, loading conditions and initial headlamp aim. Therefore, the light source choice (LED) and the light source 2,000 lm criteria in UN Regulation No. 48 were found unnecessarily restrictive and creating barriers to new technologies. Different views were expressed whether automatic levelling should become a requirement for all categories of vehicles and light sources. Operating voltage was also mentioned as an additional factor of glare.
14. GRE invited the experts from Poland, GTB and OICA to submit one coherent proposal for amendments to UN Regulation No. 48 addressing the visibility distance and glare issuto the next GRE session.