As reported by General Motors
The long and winding road is a little less treacherous with head lamps on the 2010 Buick LaCrosse that partially follow the curves and help spot that deer before it’s in the headlights.
The Adaptive Forward Lighting System, or AFL, is an advanced lighting system in which the front headlamps swivel or rotate in concert with the direction of the steering wheel. Heading into a curve or turning around a corner, the headlamps swivel up to 15 degrees at varying speeds, depending on the severity of the curve and the speed the vehicle is traveling.
The system works with both low and high beam. AFL improves visibility compared to traditional headlamps, making nighttime and inclement weather driving easier and safer.
AFL incorporates a Bi-Xenon or High Intensity Discharge (HID) projector. This high-tech light source doubles light output, while decreasing energy consumption by 33 percent compared to a traditional halogen headlamp bulb (35 vs. 55 watts).
“The AFL technology provides the driver a much better view of the road ahead,” said Shannen Borngesser, a GM exterior lighting engineer. “AFL assists the driver by increasing visibility, both on straight and winding roadways.”
AFL helps improve the driver’s ability to see things on the side – pedestrians, animals, etc. -- before they become a hazard.
The long and winding road is a little less treacherous with head lamps on the 2010 Buick LaCrosse that partially follow the curves and help spot that deer before it’s in the headlights.
The Adaptive Forward Lighting System, or AFL, is an advanced lighting system in which the front headlamps swivel or rotate in concert with the direction of the steering wheel. Heading into a curve or turning around a corner, the headlamps swivel up to 15 degrees at varying speeds, depending on the severity of the curve and the speed the vehicle is traveling.
 |
| Photo: General Motors |
The system works with both low and high beam. AFL improves visibility compared to traditional headlamps, making nighttime and inclement weather driving easier and safer.
AFL incorporates a Bi-Xenon or High Intensity Discharge (HID) projector. This high-tech light source doubles light output, while decreasing energy consumption by 33 percent compared to a traditional halogen headlamp bulb (35 vs. 55 watts).
“The AFL technology provides the driver a much better view of the road ahead,” said Shannen Borngesser, a GM exterior lighting engineer. “AFL assists the driver by increasing visibility, both on straight and winding roadways.”
AFL helps improve the driver’s ability to see things on the side – pedestrians, animals, etc. -- before they become a hazard.