!NEW! Buick Encore Prepared for April Showers

 How do Rainsense automatic wipers know it’s raining ?

We’ve all experienced that startling moment when a passing vehicle splashes a flood of water onto your windshield and suddenly, your visibility is seriously compromised. Instinctively, you start to reach for the windshield wiper stalk, but the wipers have already begun to swoop. Relieved, you wonder, ‘How does my Buick know the windshield needs to be cleared?’

Vehicles like the Buick Encore small luxury crossover, can be equipped with the convenience of Rainsense wipers, which when activated, can automatically turn on the wipers when rain or water is detected on the windshield.

The 2014 Buick Encore with Rainsense automatic wipers inside the rain chamber lab

Using a rain sensor positioned behind the rearview mirror, a signal sent to the vehicle’s computer triggers the wipers when water is detected. But the technology goes beyond simply sticking a sensor on the windshield.

2014 Buick Encore - Rain sensor is attached to the windshield behind the rearview mirror

“There is a multi-stage process and testing procedure that we must to go through with the Encore, for example, in order to integrate the Rainsense function,” said Matt Piazza, General Motors’ global design engineer for rain sensor technology. “Each vehicle is unique and there are a lot of factors like windshield pitch, rain intensity, vehicle speed, and light conditions, that all have to be accounted for and validated.”

 2014 Buick Encore with Rainsense automatic wipers

The rain sensor itself is about the size of a wristwatch. It is actually a light sensor that uses infrared light beams invisible to the human eye to detect water through light refraction when droplets contact the windshield.

2014 Buick Encore - Rain sensor, shown here, is about the size of a wristwatch

Using advanced software, the sensor takes a reading once every 40 milliseconds, or in about the time it takes a humming bird to complete a flap of its wings. The sensor measures droplet size and frequency and sends a signal that determines how slow or fast the wipers move.

Unlike the traditional “intermittent” wiper settings, adjustment of the Encore’s wipers with Rainsense adjusts the sensitivity of the sensor rather than changing the time between wipes. The speed at which the Encore is traveling also factors in wipe frequency. 

Rainsense also works in the dark. While the human eye perceives total darkness, a raindrop still refracts some amount of light. The programming of the rain sensor changes sensitivity in darkness to trigger more wipes, reducing windshield glare.

While in theory, it may seem like a simple system, assimilating Rainsense technology into each vehicle requires countless hours of testing where Piazza and team work alongside the sensor supplier, HELLA Electronics.

Integration into the Encore begins with a so-called “bench test,” where the sensor is tested to validate its relationship with the software. On the bench, Piazza and team confirm a signal receipt when triggered.

From there, it’s onto the complex task of mounting the sensor to the windshield. Placement is key and the best location is behind the rearview mirror, which is prime real estate for other electronics, including a camera for the Encore’s available Lane Departure Warning feature. This requires use of a smaller sensor mounted to the windshield at a 25–30 degree angle.

After mounting, the Encore enters HELLA’s rain chamber where a series of tests with artificial rain enable engineers to tweak the software. Light, droplet size, and droplet frequency are all factors in testing the system.

Matt Piazza, General Motors’ global design engineer for rain sensor technology, runs a rain sensor integration test on the 2014 Buick Encore.

Real world testing comes next, where engineers validate the calibration and functionality by collecting data with a video overlay in natural rain leading to final adjustments.  

“The advanced technology of Rainsense wipers are another added level of luxury and convenience for Buick Encore drivers,” Piazza said. “It constantly monitors the windshield, so that’s one less thing on the driver’s mind, allowing them to concentrate on the road ahead. Once you experience it, you won’t want a vehicle without it.”

Photo credits: © GM Company

!NEW! Red-White Opel ADAM Ideal Addition to Fire Brigades

Unlimited variants: Individualization champion also suitable as First Responder car

Long tradition: Opel models saving lives since early 20^th century

Right-of-way for safety: Opel has had own professional plant fire brigade since 1911

New Opel ADAM Fire First Responder Concept and Opel Blitz Fire truck

The Opel ADAM is the absolute individualization champion – privately and in future, maybe also for the fire department. The bold urban car now also shows its suitability for rescue services as a speedy fire brigade vehicle. The series production Opel ADAM offer encompasses 12 body colors and three additional combinable roof colors – as a fire brigade study it comes exclusively in red-white signal colors. The small lifestyle car continues the tradition of Opel lifesavers – which started over 100 years ago in the form of the “Doctor’s Car” – in an unconventional way.

New Opel ADAM Fire First Responder Concept

Fire brigade first responder Opel ADAM: Safety down to the smallest detail

Opel Special Vehicles GmbH transformed the stylish urban Opel ADAM into a spectacular fire brigade first responder vehicle. The study sporting red-white applications of the emergency number 112 clearly visible on the hood, side doors and trunk lid as well as special alarm signals on the roof and two LED front flashing lights is a real attention-getter. In addition, the fire brigade ADAM features an interior push-pull-rotary alarm switch as well as a portable Tetra two-way radio in a holder on the center console. The special-use equipment joins high-tech innovations like the IntelliLink infotainment system that is compatible with iPhones and Android smartphones, and that makes the ADAM the best connected small car. The multi-award winning newcomer also features equipment and technology options including fully automatic park assist, heated steering wheel in combination with heated front seats, blind spot alert, hands-free docking station for smartphones called FlexDock, 18” wheels featuring red-white color clips and LED daytime running lights.

An especially practical detail of the fire brigade ADAM is in the rear: a special design by the company Bösenberg ensures that emergency backpack, defibrillator, fire extinguisher and fire helmet stay securely in place even during high-speed travel on rescue calls.

Life saver with the blitz: Rescue services vehicles have long tradition at Opel

At just under 3.7 meters in length and with a host of innovative technologies, the agile urban car ADAM is ideal as a first responder vehicle in heavy city traffic. It leads Opel rescue services vehicles into the future while continuing an over 100 year-long tradition of Opel cars for emergency services.

The first example of this was the “Opel 4/8 hp” from 1909. There was good reason the two-seater was soon known under the name “Doctor’s Car”. Smaller and more agile than conventional cars, it could maneuver much more easily in narrow streets – very useful for doctors, who could thus get to their patients easier and faster.

The importance of professional rescue personnel and the corresponding equipment was something the automaker found out for itself just two years later. In 1911 a big fire destroyed large parts of the Rüsselsheim plant. As a direct result, a professional Opel fire brigade which supported the existing volunteer fire department was established and the “motorized fire pump” was developed for the plant fire brigade. Opel set new technical standards with its first models. The fire brigade vehicles quickly gained both national and international customers’ attention. A famous example of the brand’s rescue vehicles is the Opel Blitz. Various chassis layouts built the basis for personnel transport vehicles carrying up to nine occupants as well as for fire-extinguishing tank trucks.

In 1952 a new Blitz was developed, and due to its popularity with fire fighters it quickly became market leader. Its lively and, if necessary, overloadable carburetor engine was extremely robust. For some smaller fire departments the fire truck 8 based on the Opel Blitz 1.75 t was their first motor vehicle – many of these models stayed in service until well into the 1980s.

Today Opel subsidiary Opel Special Vehicles GmbH (OSV) builds special vehicles for police, ambulance and fire brigades from series production cars. These range from tailor-made Astra five-door and Sport Tourer versions, Insignia Sports Tourer, Corsa, Antara and the Zafira family to the spacious compact van Zafira Tourer. Together with certified conversion partners, the Opel models Vivaro and Movano are also available as multi-utility, crew, emergency medical services and small fire-extinguishing vehicles.

!NEW! ADAM for Firefighters: Opel at RETTmobil 2013

• Eye-catching: Agile city car Opel ADAM in Fire Dress
• Opel Special Vehicles (OSV): Opel Zafira Tourer for the Emergency (NEF)

Opel ADAM in its fire brigade outfit will be the eye-catcher of Opel’s exhibit at the RETTmobil 2013. From May 15 - 17, the automaker will show the versatility of its models for their use in police and emergency services operations. At the leading European trade show for rescue and mobility in Fulda, Opel will present the study of its agile urban small car as well as modified versions of the Zafira Tourer and Movano. Together with the company’s subsidiary Opel Special Vehicles GmbH (OSV) and certified conversion partners, Opel will present the special use vehicles on all three trade show days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Company experts are available at the Opel stand 505 in Hall 5 to answer any questions on individual special equipment and conversion possibilities.

Made by OSV: Fire brigade first responder ADAM and ambulance Zafira Tourer

Opel ADAM Fire First Responder

Opel Special Vehicles GmbH transformed the stylish urban Opel ADAM into a spectacular fire brigade first responder vehicle. The study sporting red-white applications of the emergency number 112 clearly visible on the hood, side doors and trunk lid as well as special alarm signals on the roof and two LED front flashing lights is a real attention-getter. In addition, the fire brigade ADAM features an interior push-pull-rotary alarm switch as well as a portable Tetra two-way radio in a holder on the center console. In the rear, a special design by the company Bösenberg ensures that emergency backpack, defibrillator, fire extinguisher and fire helmet stay securely in place even during high-speed travel during rescue calls.

Opel Zafira Tourer NOTARZT (Ambulance)

Opel Zafira Tourer modified by OSV as an emergency medical services vehicle can already be ordered. The vehicle markings in bright red, the blue lettering “Ambulance” on the front doors and hood, two LED front flashing lights as well as two rear warning lights and orange blinkers on the rear roof identify the flexible compact van as a special model. In the interior, the 230-volt electrical system, ignition override unit, preliminary setup for analogue and digital radio as well as accident data storage are all part of the rescue vehicle base equipment. Two variants of the special alarm signals from Hella are available. The Zafira Tourer is not only equipped for use as an emergency medical vehicle – it is also in use as a fire department or civilian command vehicle supporting the police and firefighters.

!NEW! Graceful and elegant down to the last detail: Opel Cascada with LED tail lights by Hella

Hella LED tail light pre-production version

Hella LED tail light production version

Opel has equipped its new mid-size Cascada convertible with sophisticated technology designed to improve the safety of the vehicle in addition to its driving comfort. In this regard, the Rüsselsheim based car manufacturer opted for Hella lighting technology for the tail lights. The functions of the tail lights, rear fog lights and brake lights are all performed by the most modern LED technology, and the entire tail light unit is fully integrated into the trunk lid.

This means that the tail lights are harmoniously integrated into the four seater's streamlined design. Particularly recognizable is the arrow shaped LED tail light typical of Opel's aesthetics, and implemented as a uniformly illuminated surface using a semi-transparent lens. The brake lamp and the high mounted additional brake light are equally impressive in LED, and both feature a consistent appearance thanks to their coupling with a solid light conductor. Another unique element is the chrome bar which spans the trunk lid. 

This ornamental feature bisects the innermost ends of the tail lights, and posed a particular challenge in terms of production technology due to the very low tolerances involved. Meeting this challenge underlines the successful and cooperative partnership between Opel and Hella.

LEDs in headlamps offer high differentiation potential for automakers

• Light color even closer to daylight
• Strong increase in LED signal functions in headlamps
• In future, it will be possible to implement intelligent lighting functions without mechanisms

Hella Adaptive Full LED headlamp prototype in Opel Signum

Article of 22.03.2007

March 2007. These days, LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are used as light sources at the vehicle rear and, increasingly, also at the vehicle front, for signal functions. In the coming years, this trend will grow considerably. The first full LED headlamps, which will generate low beam and high beam, will be on the market in 2007 and 2008. They open up new, far reaching styling options and therefore great differentiation potential for automakers. At Hella, the next LED headlamp generation is already being developed: from about 2012, freely addressable LED arrays (assemblies) will make new, active lighting functions possible.

Extremely long service life (up to 10,000 hours), a high level of reliability, low package space, rapid switch-on behavior and, depending on the function, up to 80 percent less power consumption: these advantages have now secured LEDs a firm position on the vehicle rear. Consistently, these advantages are being used especially in the case of central high mounted stop lamps, but also more and more in combination rear lamps. For at least six years, LEDs have been offered which generate white light. The first applications in the front-end area are the position light and daytime running light. The rapid development of their performance now makes them usable for low beam and high beam as well.

In relation to this, the light color of the white LEDs (color temperature approx. 5,500 kelvin) approaches that of daylight (approx. 6,000 kelvin) considerably more than xenon light (approx. 4,000 kelvin). This fits in with what humans are used to seeing. Car drivers do not tire as quickly and are more relaxed when driving. In addition, the white LEDs are also a convincing choice thanks to their fast response time, and it is possible to cover two functions (such as position light and daytime running light) using a single light source. Their luminous efficiency is increasing rapidly: while today it is over 40 lm/W, there are already prototypes in research institutes with approximately 130 lm/W (in comparison with xenon light: approx. 90 lm/W, halogen light 20 lm/W).

 

LED headlamps have a modular design

As high luminous power is required for low beam and high beam, Hella chooses multi-chip LEDs for the LED headlamp. Special chip arrangements and housing geometries make it possible to generate the cut off line without additional mechanical shading. This allows compact headlamp systems to be realized. The light distribution is designed in an almost modular manner:

• A symmetrical basic light distribution with large dispersion provides homogeneous illumination of the close range in front of the vehicle.
• In the central area close to the cut off line, a field with high illuminance overlaps this basic light distribution and generates the range of the low beam on the left hand side of the road (oncoming traffic).
• The long range asymmetrical "light finger" on the right hand side of the road provides the necessary long range orientation for the driver.
• The addition of further optical modules makes it possible to realize AFS lighting functions, such as town, country, motorway and adverse weather light. Triggering takes place by means of electronic control units which then switch on or switch off further light sources according to the current driving situation.

The different light distributions are generated by means of different optical modules that are matched to each other. Variation possibilities with regard to the arrangement and number of the modules open up new, far reaching styling options and therefore great potential for differentiation for automakers.

LED low beam is close to the Xenon values

Thus, the full LED headlamp prototype from Hella has been realized in an Opel Signum using different transmissive optical elements. Six optical units generate the low beam. Three further units are added for the high beam, a special module is sufficient for the cornering light. Daytime running light/position light and direction indicator with LEDs complete the full LED headlamp, which, in the case of low beam, is already very close to the Xenon values. With reference to the number of LEDs and their performance, these and other prototypes are designed in such a way that luminous power similar to a Xenon headlamp can be achieved in 2008. With regard to this, the Hella lighting specialists take into consideration the continuously increasing performance of white LEDs which is to be expected by then. 

Hella Adaptive Full LED headlamp in Opel Signum

LED - Array

Hella is working with LED arrays (assemblies) as light sources for future headlamps. They consist of several individually addressable LED chips which are arranged in accordance with a predefined pattern onto a carrier substrate. The individual chips are triggered by means of pulse width modulation. This allows, on the one hand, the switching on and switching off of individual LED chips and therefore the generation of different cut off line geometries, on the other hand, it also allows an intensity modulation in the light distribution. In addition to the implementation of AFS lighting functions without mechanisms, LED arrays make possible, in conjunction with forward looking vehicle sensor technology and intelligent triggering electronics, the realization of active lighting functions such as marker light or glare free high beam. 

Approval situation for LEDs in headlamps:

In the USA, headlamps with LEDs for the main lighting functions are already permitted according to the SAE standards valid there. In Europe, or in the scope of application of the ECE regulations, corresponding approval can be expected by 2008. Signal functions in the headlamp (direction indicator, side marker light, position light and daytime running light, as well as cornering light) with LEDs are today permitted both in the ECE and SAE scope of application.