VC Visteon Corporation

Visteon Delivers Industry-Leading Halogen Advanced Front Lighting on New Ford Focus PARIS, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The next-generation Ford Focus, showcased at the Paris Motor Show for the European market beginning this week, is the world's first vehicle to offer customers a halogen Advanced Front Lighting System (AFS). Developed by Visteon Corporation (NYSE:VC), the AFS system is an important optional feature that helps improve driver visibility at night. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001201/DEF008LOGO ) Statistics show that around 40 percent of severe car accidents occur during the night. Adaptive lighting, or the ability for headlamps to bend light into corners, can help improve visibility. According to independent tests conducted by the influential German technical institute TUV, adaptive lighting contributes to improved road safety. In contrast to conventional static halogen headlamps, Visteon's halogen AFS headlamps are designed to adjust light distribution according to vehicle speed and direction. The low beam swivels dynamically and can significantly improve illumination in curves and while turning at intersections in the city. 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 worked closely with Ford to develop a cost-effective halogen AFS application for the next-generation Focus. "We are delighted to have been able to work with Ford and to offer an affordable Adaptive Lighting System for this important new model," said Dieter Schaper, director, exteriors product line team for Visteon. "We believe that Focus drivers who specify AFS will be able to see better and feel considerably more comfortable during night driving." Main features of Visteon's AFS technology are: * Advanced software developed by Visteon uses inputs from steering wheel and vehicle speed sensors to precisely tailor the lighting pattern according to speed and road configuration * Light beam pattern illuminates road boundaries at low and high speed * Asymmetrical movement of headlights ensures maximum forward illumination for the driver, as well as projecting a light beam in corners * A control module houses the control strategy for the adaptive front lighting system * The control module also controls headlamp leveling * The vehicle sensor detects changes in speed, direction or other manufacturer-specified driving conditions * Visteon's AFS system is based on an in-house-developed algorithm that controls the headlights' actuation * A central 16-bit processor receives data from the steering wheel sensor, speed sensor and axle sensor to precisely direct the headlight beams in real-time * An integrated damping program smoothes out any imprecise steering inputs 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. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001201/DEF008LOGO DATASOURCE: Visteon Corporation CONTACT: Media Inquiries: Dolores Muniz, +49 2273 595 2828, , or Jim Fisher, +1-313-755-0635, , both of Visteon Corporation Web site: http://www.visteon.com/

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