Laser based Headlamp Range Extender: Hype or useful Feature for the Driver ?

In summer 2014 the Audi R8 LMX started at the market as a special laser edition with a hybrid high beam system based on a laser light source to reach a high beam range, which has never seen before in mass production. The laser based system is developed by Automotive Lighting and provides more than Emax = 300 lx high beam maximum in the standardized measurement distance of 25 m. The advantage of such a high maximum for the high beam is investigated by a physiological experiment. The purpose of this experiments is to measure the contrast sensitivity and detection failure rate of drivers in the high beam area at a distance d=250 m for different high beam performance levels. The results are compared to high performing systems on the market based on well-known technical solutions.