Automotive Exterior Lighting Efficient measurement of vehicle exterior and traffic lighting technology

Product approval tests and development-related measurements

Vehicle headlights, retroreflectors, signal lamps, variable message signs and airfield lighting systems guarantee the safety of traffic participants. They are therefore subject to strict legal requirements in terms of their photometric properties and have to be tested extremely carefully and reliably.

The challenge: Compliance with standards

Many standards prescribe strict limits for e.g. luminous intensity distribution, light color, retroreflection, luminance, red component or UV-proportion. In order to provide evidence of compliance with UN-ECE, SAE, FVMSS108, GB, FAA or ICAO, the products must undergo tests throughout the development process, during production (CoP) and product certification.

Statutory approval tests for automotive exterior lighting are strictly regulated, e.g. by:

  • GTB Photometry Accuracy Guidelines
  • SAE Standard J1330
  • DIN 5032-7 (2017)
  • EN-DIN 13032-1

These provide precise standards for the selection of suitable measurement technology.

LEDs, OLEDs, PWM, high-definition headlamps

In vehicle lighting technology there has been a constant stream of developments in terms of new photometric solutions. Narrow-band, frequently pulse-width modulated LED light sources are being used in glare-free headlights with millions of pixels and a large number of different light distributions.

Accuracy of the measuring system is critical

The new light sources call for a particularly high degree of precision in sample positioning by a Type A goniometer and higher spatial resolution of the photometer used. The appropriate software must be incorporated in the measurement system to control all functions of these samples. Precision, measurement speed and efficiency are thus a decisive factor in the choice of system.

Our solution: the Optronik line of AMS goniophotometer systems

The Optronik Line of AMS goniophotometer systems from Instrument Systems with extensive accessories based on 50 years of experience in automotive and traffic lighting from a large number of customer projects. The same applies to RMS systems for measuring retroreflection. Instrument Systems is one of the few suppliers to offer a fully integrated all-in-one solution comprising all the required positioning systems, measuring instruments, power sources and control software. We provide advice in the planning, project and implementation phases.

The standard compliance of all test procedures is guaranteed and combined with the highest degree of measurement accuracy, unrivalled speed and efficiency. AMS systems and RMS systems satisfy all the latest requirements with regard to the control of test objects, high spatial measurement resolution and ease of operation, as well as representation and comparison of measurement results. 

What is your individual challenge? Together we can find the right solution – just ask us!

Video: Testing solutions for automotive exterior lighting

CAS140D Spectroradiometer & AMS Goniometer: Spectral Measurement of Automotive Lighting

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