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high beam sensors

turns off other cars' highbeams so they don't blind you.
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I would make a light sensor on all cars that would turn off your high beams when you meet another car with their lights on. It would cut the risk of being blinded off the road when you meet a jerk that won't turn off their highbeams for you. Also there could be a radio wave sensor instead that would shut off all high beams of cars within a 30 foot radius so that a car behind you won't be able to leave their highbeams on and tailgate you. Anyone know where I could submit this idea for real?

Em - peace_2u4uraqt@excite.com

peace_2u4uraqt, Feb 15 2001

1958 Pontiac http://www.kingofth....net/58pontiac.html
look for "Autronic Eye" [krelnik, Oct 04 2004]

1958 Lincoln http://www.ev1.pair...rce/pink58_235.html
[krelnik, Oct 04 2004]

1964 Chrysler http://automotivemi...ionalequipment.html
It cost $46 as an option, apparently [krelnik, Oct 04 2004]

[link]






       Interesting idea. You'd think the car companies might be interested as well as the Feds. I bet their engineers have thought about this problem. It would add circuitry and cost no doubt. How much? Probably not too bad given all the computer control in new cars. On the other hand, you wouldn't want your high beams to cut out on you if a landing plane flew by or some other "unforeseen" light problem.
drshock, Feb 22 2002
  

       There are so very few times when high beams are actually NECESSARY that it'd be just as well to leave them out entirely. Same with driving lights.
StarChaser, Feb 23 2002
  

       Spent a week earlier this year driving a truck with no high beams. I definitely noticed the lack on deserted, winding mountain roads.
wiml, Feb 24 2002
  

       You're not really clear here. Do you want a device that kills the high-beams on other cars approaching you (transmits from your car to the offending car), or on any car approaching any other (each car dims its own lights automatically)?   

       bris has pointed out in another idea that a feature that dims your own lights when approaching another car (a much much simpler way to accomplish this, don't you think?) does exist, but I'll be damned if I can find it... a feature on models of Lincoln Town Cars, I think (bris?). The idea must be deleted now.   

       peace_2u4uraqt: certainly the corniest handle I've seen in a while.
waugsqueke, Feb 25 2002
  

       How about one that detects the undipped head lights of oncoming cars and shoots them out.   

       BANGBANG.....There, how do you like driving blind!
dare99, Feb 25 2002
  

       I think that one's already halfbaked, something like a high-beam seeking missile...
StarChaser, Feb 25 2002
  

       The light sensor part is baked on many high-end American cars, as far back as 1958. The old ones would have a sensor on top of the dashboard. Apparently it was quite hard to get the sensitivity of the thing adjusted properly for all situations, which is why you don't see this anymore. See links for three examples, the second one even has a picture of the sensor.
krelnik, Jan 17 2003
  

       I had this same idea years ago, then one day I was driving with my boss in his old early 60's Cadillac. That car had that as a standard option, but I don't think it worked anymore. -Of course, that didn't affect OTHER cars' headlights.
snikrepkire, Apr 19 2004
  
      
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