Preventing Bumps in the Dark

Nighttime driving represents only about a quarter of total driving. Yet, according to the 1998 Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics, it accounts for over 40 per cent of traffic fatalities.

During the Gulf War, thermal-imaging technology helped military forces successfully carry out their missions in the dark of night. Cadillac will be the first automaker to bring the safety benefits of this technology to drivers, with the introduction of NightVision on the 2000 DeVille.

During nighttime driving, certain situations such as a person changing a tire on the side of the road, or an animal in the roadway, may not be visible with the naked eye until it's too late. NightVision enhances the driver's ability to detect potentially dangerous situations beyond the range of the headlamps.

While NightVision is not meant to replace a driver's view out of the windshield, it will give drivers additional visual information beyond what their eyes are capable of seeing. Depending on conditions, NightVision allows drivers to see down the road up to three to five times farther ahead than low-beam headlamps. The feature can also help drivers see beyond the headlamp glare from oncoming vehicles.

Cadillac's NightVision system uses thermal imaging, or infrared, technology. The thermal imaging device creates pictures based on heat energy emitted by objects in its field of view. Everything emits heat to some degree. But humans, animals and moving vehicles are more visible in the image due to their high thermal contrast with the background.

The virtual image that is produced looks something like a black and white photographic negative - hotter objects appear white and cooler objects appear black

Because the virtual image is projected by a head-up display (HUD) rather than on a flat screen mounted in the car, drivers can keeps their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. This image, which is projected near the front edge of the hood, is in the driver's peripheral vision and was designed not to obstruct the view of the road. Drivers can glance at the virtual image without refocusing or removing their eyes from the road.

NightVision powers up when the key is in the "on" position, when the Twilight Sentinel photo cell indicates that it's dark out, and if the headlamps are on. Using a switch in the instrument panel, drivers can turn the system on and off, or adjust intensity and vertical position of the image.

Source: General Motors of Canada Limited. Visit www.cadillac.com (DeVille) for a demonstration of NightVision.

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