| Heavy Duty Safety regulations Included in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s safety regulations are requirements for vehicle Th e initial install is very simple and, in nearly every case, the LED headlamps are backwards and forwards compatible. Th e halogen headlamp is removed and the LED lamp is installed in the same way. Depending on the vehicle electronics, there may need to be a minor soft ware change in some vehicles to accommodate light-out detection features on today’s trucks. Regardless of the type of headlamp, they need to be aimed properly. Headlamps pointed as little as one degree too high can make a big diff erence to oncoming drivers. Furthermore, misaimed beams do not cast as much light on the road. Fleets should incorporate a regular preventive maintenance (PM) schedule to assure that vehicle headlamps are properly aimed. All headlamps should be kept clean because even a thin layer of grime and dirt on the lens can block light output and degrade a driver’s night visibility. LED headlamps provide a better view for the driver because the light emitted is in a color spectrum which provides high contrast and is more readily seen by the eye. The left photo shows the illumination from halogen headlamps at low beam. The right photo shows LED headlamps at low beam. Photo courtesy of Truck-Lite NEXT? An evolving vehicle headlamp technology for commercial trucks, as a way to improve visibility, is adaptive driving beam (ADB) headlamp systems. Basically, these are headlamps that adapt to the presence of opposing and preceding vehicles by automatically modifying portions of their beam pattern to reduce glare. Th e objective is to improve long-range visibility for the driver without causing discomfort, distraction and glare to the driver or others on the road. Europe and Japan have begun allowing ADB headlamp systems as optional equipment on select models. Th e National Highway Traffi c Safety Administration (NHTSA) – which regulates automotive lighting, signaling and refl ective devices in the U.S. – currently does not address this type of front lighting system. However, NHTSA (www.nhtsa.gov) – an organization dedicated to achieving the highest standards of excellence in motor vehicle and highway safety – has been conducting research into adaptive driving beam headlamp systems both here and abroad. SAE International (www.sae.org) – a global association of engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial vehicle industries – is working on a recommended practice – SAE J3069 – for test procedures, performance requirements and design guidelines for ADB systems and associated equipment. Contributing to this article were: - Brad Van Riper, senior vice president and chief technology officer, Truck-Lite Co. (www.truck-lite.com), a major producer of safety lighting, forward lighting, wiring harnesses, mirrors, turn signal switches and safety accessories to the heavy duty truck, trailer and commercial vehicle industries. - Joe Weingardt, Business Development Manager, White Light Business Unit, Grote Industries (www.grote.com), a leading worldwide manufacturer and supplier of LED Lights and lighting products for heavy duty trucks, trailers, vocational and passenger vehicles. VehicleServicePros.com/12078497 lighting. These include: • 49 CFR 571.108 - Standard No. 108; Lamps, refl ective devices, and associated equipment. This standard specifi es requirements for original and replacement lamps, refl ective devices and associated equipment on passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, trailers (except pole trailers and trailer converter dollies) and motorcycles. • 49 CFR 393.24 - Requirements for head lamps, auxiliary driving lamps and front fog lamps. Among other things, this regulation states that: » Commercial motor vehicles may be equipped with auxiliary driving lamps and/or front fog lamps for use in conjunction with, but not in lieu of, the required headlamps. Auxiliary driving lamps need to meet SAE Standard J581, Auxiliary Upper Beam Lamps, and front fog lamps need to meet SAE Standard J583, Front Fog Lamp. » Auxiliary driving lamps and front fog lamps shall be mounted so that the beams are aimable and the mounting shall prevent the aim of the lighting device from being disturbed while the vehicle is operating on public roads. » Headlamps, auxiliary driving lamps and front fog lamps shall be aimed to meet the aiming specifi cations in 49 CFR 571.108, SAE J581 and SAE J583, respectively. 18 FLEET MAINTENANCE ❚ AUGUST 2016 ❚ VehicleServicePros.com
FleetMaintenance_August_2016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above