Overview
To improve visibility during night driving, manufacturers have started fitting cornering lights.
Cornering lights are white colored lights usually fitted into the bumper bar and are designed to provide side light when the vehicle is turning corners.
The additional lighting provided by cornering lights helps the driver to see the curb and any obstacles that may not be illuminated by the headlights.
Cornering lights turn on only when the headlights and turn signal switches are on, so they only come on when the vehicle is turning the corner, and turn off automatically when the turn signal turns off.
Functionality
This system assists the driver to see dangers in adequate time thus make driving safer. The majority of manufacturers have designed their cornering light that follows the steering movements of the vehicle thus allowing the driver to see people and obstacles on the road and along the roadside. As the driver steers into the curve, the lights will have already illuminated the area that would normally be dark.
In most instances, the cornering light system combines two lighting functions for the first time –
Both of these functions will improve road illumination considerably compared with conventional fixed headlights. This application applies both when driving around long, stretched curves and also when turning into narrow side roads.
Dynamic Cornering Light System
In this system, the headlights follow the curve of the road and ensure optimum road illumination. The horizontally swiveling headlights are constantly adapted to the speed and the steering angle of the car. Essentially steered with the car, the headlight on the inside of the curve swivels up to 15 degrees and the headlight on the outside of the curve up to 7.5 degrees.
Static Cornering Light
Switches on an additional light when the driver turns off into side roads, for example, at crossroads, and illuminates the outside of the curve area with a broad angle. It is switched on at a speed of 0 to 30 mph (50 km/h) and thus functions when the car is stationary and the driver rotates the steering wheel towards full lock. In the majority of installations, this system is automatic and, as the lights are “dimmed on and off” slowly, so as not to dazzle oncoming traffic.
Source: CDX Global & Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org
