DS has some aces down to its sleeves. Not only the exquisite design, but also the technology it brings. The winter solstice takes place on Sunday 22 December, bringing with it the darkest day of the year, and as an anticipated 31 million leisure trips are planned in the lead up to Christmas, high numbers of drivers will tackle busy, congested roads in poorly lit conditions during this period.
Two-thirds of drivers say they are regularly dazzled by oncoming headlights even though they are dipped – and it’s listed as a contributory factor in six deaths, 75 serious injuries and over 300 minor injuries every year on roads across the UK.
DS Automobiles is highlighting this important issue of light-blinding on UK roads with its innovative headlight technology; DS ACTIVE LED VISION on the Premium SUV – DS 7 CROSSBACK and DS MATRIX LED VISION beam system available on DS 3 CROSSBACK – the Premium Compact SUV.
DS 7 CROSSBACK headlamps all feature a main projector headlamp in a sealed cluster of three LEDs that rotate 1800. In addition to the visual effect, the DS ACTIVE LED VISION system is highly efficient. At night, the beam adapts in width and range to the road conditions and vehicle speed. Six lighting modes are available: Parking, Town Beam, Country Beam, Motorway Beam, Adverse Beam and High Beam.
By lighting up the road more effectively and over a greater distance, or more on the sides of the road, drivers and passengers alike benefit from greater levels of safety. Safety is also enhanced with the rear light LEDs that activate in an instant and benefit from a longer-projected lifespan – for as long as that of the car.
On DS 3 CROSSBACK the available LED light system adjusts lighting, switching from full beam to dipped headlights automatically without dazzling oncoming drivers. The intelligent lighting recognises road and traffic conditions using a camera mounted in the windscreen and adapts automatically.
This system features three LED modules for dipped beam while a MATRIX BEAM uses 15 identical but independent LED units that illuminate and dim progressively depending on road conditions. In urban areas with dipped beams, the MATRIX BEAM switches off, before turning itself on in more rural settings. When following other cars on dual carriageways or approaching oncoming vehicles, the MATRIX BEAM adjusts to switch off the LED modules in the narrow field of the other road users helping to reduce dazzle while still safely illuminating the road ahead for the driver.
