iCAT tests anti-glare polarised film at VRDE

The International Center for Automotive Technology (iCAT) in Manesar recently demonstrated an anti-glare headlighting system as part of a government research and development initiative to improve road safety.

The objective of the demonstration that was undertaken at the test track at the Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (VRDE) in Ahmednagar, on a fleet of vehicles ranging from two-wheelers, passenger cars, SUVs, LCVs and HCVs, was targeted at making night driving safer by reducing the glare from vehicle headlights. Poor visibility due to blinding lights from oncoming vehicles is a contributory factor to a large number of fatal accidents on Indian roads.

Ambuj Sharma, joint secretary, Department of Heavy Industries of the government of India, told Autocar Professional that currently no regulations exist to control the glare from vehicle headlights. But the Heavy Industries Department is collating scientific data on the subject after which the Department of Road Transport would establish standards to rectify this. This would be followed by enforcement of regulations for it. iCAT’s demonstration involved the use of polarised films on the windscreen and headlights for reducing glare, with an analyser ascertaining its effect on a vehicle’s rearview mirror and also road visibility.

According to Dinesh Tyagi, director of iCAT, the cost of the polarised film is expected to start at around Rs 2,000 per vehicle due to the film being imported. However, as volumes rise, long-term manufacture of polarised film could be undertaken in India thereby bringing down its cost to Rs 100 per vehicle thanks to economies of scale. Sharma said that with an additional 14 million vehicles including two-wheelers taking to Indian roads every year, potential business demand will speed up indigenous production of these polarised films.

However, he clarified that initially the regulations would be stipulated for new vehicles. Rules for retrofitting existing vehicles could be considered at a later stage. Elaborating on the problem of glare in India, J K Deb, vice-president of Fiat India, said that vehicle headlamps are located at different heights due to a varied mix of cars and trucks plying on the roads. Hence, even when truck lamps are at their maximum dip position, they cast a high beam that directly hits the drivers of oncoming cars.

“With roads criss-crossing through villages, the dazzle of headlamps makes it even more more difficult to identify people and animals crossing the roads, causing fatal accidents,” he pointed out. According to Deb, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers has been pushing for a practical and affordable solution for decreasing the intensity of headlamps. In 2005, engineers from the Automotive Research Association of India had initiated a similar project that did not prove commercially feasible at the time.

"At high speeds, the drag has to be under control; if something is hanging outside, it will increase drag and noise pollution. Hence, we were looking at something that is part of the car and can be manufactured. The polarised films that iCAT has demonstrated will be useful,” added Deb.

However, G K Binani, general manager (electrical & electronics), Engineering Research Centre, Tata Motors, expressed doubt about the use of polarised films in automobiles in the immediate future. He said that the demonstration had been undertaken under controlled conditions and required further improvement after tests in real-world multi-lane conditions. He was also of the opinion that polarised films would require the use of high intensity discharge lamps that are more expensive than regular halogen lamps, in turn raising vehicle cost.