March 28, 2024

On October 12, 2018, NHTSA Published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Amend FMVSS 108 to Allow Adaptive Driving Beam (ADB) Technology to be Introduced into the United States (49 CFR 571.108)

DATES: Comments must be filed on or before December 11, 2018

Adaptive driving beam (‘‘ADB’’) headlamps use advanced technology that actively modifies the headlamp beams to provide more illumination while not glaring other vehicles. The proposed requirements would amend the existing regulations to permit this technology and ensure that it operates safely.

ADB is not supplemental lighting, but is part of the required headlamp system.  It would not comply with some of the current FMVSS 108 requirements.  NHTSA proposes to amend the standard to make ADB available in the United States.  To ensure that ADB systems operate safely, the standard would include additional requirements specific to ADB systems.

This NPRM proposes to subject ADB equipped vehicles to a dynamic compliance test to ensure the ADB system does not glare oncoming or preceding vehicles. The performance requirements NHTSA proposes specify the maximum level of illuminance an ADB system may cast on opposing or preceding vehicles.

In addition to these track-tested glare limits, under this proposal an ADB system would also be subject to some of the existing laboratory-based upper and lower beam photometry requirements. NHTSA also proposes applying some existing semiautomatic beam switching device requirements to ADB systems: Manual override (S9.4.1.2); fail safe operation (S9.4.1.3); and automatic dimming indicator (S9.4.1.4).