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30deg view angle LEDs aimed at cars |
01/02/2006
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| Agilent Technologies has introduced high-brightness red, red-orange, orange, amber, green and blue LEDs in the industry-standard Power PLCC-4 surface-mount form factor, which incorporate integral lenses to produce a 30deg viewing angle. Target applications for the Agilent HSMx-A43xx series include
... Read more |
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‘Light curtain’ adds concepts |
01/02/2006
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| A ‘light curtain’ using LED technology could spawn new concepts in highly distinctive combination rear lamps.
Light from concealed LEDs radiates sideways into a flat, light-guiding plastic plate and is distributed evenly on the inside of the plate by reflection. There are light-scattering
... Read more |
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Optical filters make IR night vision safe |
01/02/2006
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| Infrared based night vision systems are likely to see rapid growth now that the technology has been tested and applied in a few high end vehicles. While the basic technology is now well understood, there are many less well-know technical issues that have to be resolved when designing a new system. |
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Smart swivelling mirror eliminates blind spot on artics |
01/04/2005
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| An intelligent mirror incorporating a CMOS camera with embedded imaging software eliminates the blind spot on articulated lorries, writes Roger Bishop. Fitted to the side of the vehicle opposite the driving position, it provides a clear view of the space on the side of the truck that is normally
... Read more |
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Sunshine heals clearcoat scratches |
01/04/2005
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| Researchers at Bayer MaterialScience have developed an automotive coating that uses the warmth of the summer sun to heal the fine abrasions and scratches that result from hand or car wash cleaning, writes Roger Bishop. They simply disappear, according to a recent technical note. |
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LED technology marches on |
01/03/2005
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| With more and more car-makers turning to light emitting diodes (LEDs) for exterior lighting applications, the market is getting keener, and the technology more robust. |
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A paradigm shift? |
01/01/2005
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| If Michelin’s radical Tweel ever reaches the production road vehicle, then it will be in the distant future — certainly not for at least 15 years. But in reality that’s only three car ‘generations’ away and well within the period covered by the industry’s most forward-thinking designers and
... Read more |
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Primer seals keep logos bright and clear |
01/11/2004
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| A new proprietary process is said to be able to produce automotive badges with perfect, inclusion-free surfaces and exceptional resistance to salt corrosion and UV yellowing. |
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Switchable glass controls heat and light |
01/11/2004
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| The trend by bus and coach manufacturers to increase the size of glazed areas is limited by the need to main thermal comfort alongside transparency. |
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F1 aerodynamics saves fuel for truckers |
01/11/2004
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| Formula 1 thinking is being applied to improving the aerodynamics of commercial tractor-trailer combinations with startling results, writes Tom Shelley. |
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Flush latch is compact and light |
01/10/2004
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| Low volume vehicles such as buses, trucks and construction vehicles often suffer aesthetically from having to use standard latches that are outdated in design terms. |
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Silicone elastomers to soundproof glass |
01/09/2004
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| Novel thermoplastic silicone elastomers are hybrid materials designed to offer properties previously unseen in either thermoplastics or silicones. An automotive application already under test is as soundproofing sheets for windscreens and windows. Engineers say the effect is dramatic. |
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Mercury taken out of HID systems |
01/09/2004
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| Koito, Denso, Toyota and Philips Electronics have co-developed what is said to be the first mercury-free high intensity discharge (HID) headlamp system, writes Roger Bishop. |
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Software set to transform windscreen design |
01/09/2004
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| New windscreen analysis software allows glass system suppliers and vehicle-makers to check the compatibility of designs with optical standards and to make a static analysis of image distortion, writes Roger Bishop. |
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