Study on the Influence of Opposing Glare from Vehicle High-Beam Headlights Based on Drivers’ Visual Requirements

Abstract

The anti-glare facilities in median strips are designed to block opposing headlights in order to avoid disability glare, but a large amount of headlight leakage results in uncomfortable glare, to the point that drivers can barely detect dangerous obstacles or road conditions. This paper aims to explore the glare range under high-beam headlights on drivers’ visual requirements. Based on an analysis of the mechanism of headlight glare, this paper proposes a subjective headlight glare scale, and classifies glare discomfort into two categories: interference glare, and acceptability glare. Combining the scales, 24 drivers and a standard light-emitting diode automotive headlamp were used to conduct glare effect tests. The size of the laboratory that closes to scotopic vision is 12 m × 6 m. The illuminance thresholds of disability glare–interference glare (DGIG) and interference glare–acceptability glare (IGAG), along with the spatial distribution of each glare level, were collected at the longitudinal distances of 3 m, 5 m, 7 m, 10 m, and 12 m. Meanwhile, the illuminance threshold and the spatial distribution of each glare level up to a longitudinal distance of 120 m were calculated. The results indicate that disability glare is distributed in the central area, while interference glare and acceptability glare are distributed from the center to the margins. At the same longitudinal distance, the vertical illuminance of the driver’s eye under the same glare level is almost equal. In the range of a longitudinal distance of 120 m, the spatial distribution of each glare level enlarges with each increase in longitudinal distance. The results can provide scientific evidence for calculating the reasonable heights of anti-glare facilities for expressways with different alignments.