Visteon Innovations Improve Visibility for Drivers and Passengers

Visteon Innovations Improve Visibility for Drivers and Passengers
Electronic expertise brightens the road and improves interior visibility 


LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6  /PRNewswire/ -- Visteon Corporation's (NYSE:VC) electronic
expertise and consumer insight resulted in the development of new lighting
technologies that improve visibility for passengers and drivers. Statistics
show that around 40 percent of severe car accidents occur during the night. 
These statistics, combined with research that indicates styling and visibility
are important to consumers, pose a unique challenge for the automakers.

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To meet the challenge, Visteon has developed a broad range of lighting
products.  The most recent are concepts for using light emitting diode (LED)
technology for front and interior lighting.  Other recent lighting advancements
to meet visibility and styling needs include the high intensity discharge (HID)
projector headlamps in production on the 2005 Corvette and advanced front
lighting on the 2005 Ford Focus in Europe, which adjusts light distribution
according to vehicle speed and direction.

Visteon will demonstrate unique lighting technology, as well as audio,
infotainment, and driver awareness systems, at the Consumer Electronics Show
(CES) in Las Vegas, Jan. 6-9.  Visteon's original equipment products are on
display in the North Plaza, booth #1, and its aftermarket products are shown in
the North Hall, booth #5811.

"Visteon has unique electronics capabilities and engineering expertise that
make us a leader in the development of advanced lighting technologies," said
Dieter Schaper, Visteon's exterior product line team director.  "We are
committed to focusing our efforts to meet the needs of automakers and
consumers, providing the lighting systems that are flexible enough to help
differentiate vehicles and offer improved visibility for the highway.  When
driving, it's vital to see and be seen."

Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting -- Visteon currently produces LED rear
signal lights and recently announced the development of an LED front lighting
low-beam prototype with a "roadworthy" beam pattern.  As an early adopter of
LED technology for external light sources, Visteon looked to LED technology as
a front lighting solution after recent gains in lumen output made white LED
lighting sources feasible.  It's no secret that LED technology is the preferred
choice for long-life applications where efficiency, durability, space
constraints and style are priorities.

LED-based headlamps are up to 55 percent thinner than their non-LED
counterparts.  This frees up space in the engine compartment or in the grille
to add styling options.  In addition, LED-based front lighting sources can
require up to 40 percent less power than traditional lighting sources.  This
allows automakers to apply the saved energy to other comfort or safety
features.  LEDs are a mercury-free technology, making them an environmentally
friendly, high-efficiency source.  And LED has a source life of over 10,000
hours, meaning the headlamps can outlive the life of the vehicle.

While other lighting systems offer a degree of styling flexibility, LED front
lighting systems may revolutionize the way designers think about front headlamp
design.  Arrayed LEDs not only look unique, their flexibility may eventually
help designers "break out of the box" of the traditional, two- headlamp
front-end design approach.  For example, since LED front lamps don't require a
single packaging unit -- or "capsule" -- designers could potentially
"sub-merge" the lights into the grille design so that no lighting source is
recognizable during daylight hours.  Unlike HID/Xenon lamps, LED-based front
lamps are recognizable not only in night mode but in daytime as well.  Because
they are much "thinner" than more traditional headlamps packages, designers
have that much more flexibility to design increasingly dramatic overall front-
end styling.

In terms of interiors, the thin lights offer flexibility to provide lighting
for functional, ambiance and styling differentiation.  Visteon's concept for
functional LED interior lights includes door handle lighting, map pockets,
footwells and cupholders and is programmable to up to 20 different colors. 
This lighting application also includes translucent skins and behind-
the-surface lighting for logos and trim panels, a styling feature viewed
positively by consumers.

Advance Front Lighting System (AFS) -- Visteon is delivering advanced lighting
technologies designed to help improve driver visibility.  Independent testing
of Visteon's advanced front lighting system by the TUV, an influential German
technical institute, showed a 58 percent increase in obstacle detection over
traditional lighting technology.  According to the independent tests conducted
by TUV, adaptive lighting or advanced front lighting contributes to improved
road safety.

The tests performed by TUV showed the adaptive halogen lamps provided drivers
with improved lighting, particularly when tackling narrow bends or when vision
was impaired.  AFS also enhanced drivers' vision of objects at the edges of
bends or corners.  The tests illustrated that the halogen AFS technology
allowed drivers to recognize more than 70 percent of objects, compared with 46
percent when driving vehicles with conventional headlamps.

Visteon Corporation is a leading full-service supplier that delivers
consumer-driven technology solutions to automotive manufacturers worldwide and
through multiple channels within the global automotive aftermarket.  Visteon
has about 72,000 employees and a global delivery system of more than 200
technical, manufacturing, sales and service facilities located in 25 countries.


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DATASOURCE: Visteon Corporation



CONTACT:  Media Inquiries: Robin Pannecouk, [phone],

 , or Jim Fisher, [phone],

 , both of Visteon Corporation



Web site:  http://www.visteon.com/ 

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