Volume XIII Enhanced Night Visibility Series: Phase III–Study 1: Comparison of Near Infrared, Far Infrared, High Intensity Discharge, and Halogen Headlamps on Object Detection in Nighttime Clear Weather

The overall goal of the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Visibility Research Program is enhance the safety of road users through near-term improvements of the visibility on and along the roadway. The program also promotes the advancement of new practices and technologies to improve visibility on a cost-effective basis. The following document summarizes the results of a study on the performance of drivers during nighttime driving in clear weather using visual headlight technologies, and visual headlamp technologies augmented with in-vehicle displays for near- and far-infrared sensors. The study was conducted under Phase III of the Enhanced Night Visibility (ENV) project, a comprehensive evaluation of evolving and proposed headlamp technologies under various weather conditions. The individual studies within the overall project are documented in an 18-volume series of FHWA reports, of which this is Volume XIII. It is anticipated that the reader will select those volumes that provide information of specific interest. This report will be of interest to headlamp designers, automobile manufacturers and consumers, third-party headlamp manufacturers, human factors engineers, and those involved in headlamp and roadway specifications