MG Astor: Lighting Up The Road With Intelligent Headlamp Control

Have you ever driven in the night and been blinded by the high-beamed headlamps of oncoming vehicles? The improper and inconsiderate use of high-beam and the resultant temporary blinding is a big problem, especially in India. Many drivers are either unaware of the appropriate use cases for high-beam and low-beam or deliberately ignore them because, in most cases, we are not taught the importance of switching between the two. Sometimes, diligent drivers might also leave the high-beam on by mistake. 

With the MG Astor, you get a chance to stop being a part of the problem and become part of the solution instead. The MG Astor’s Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) features Intelligent Headlamp Control. This subsystem uses cameras and sensors to identify oncoming vehicles and switches between high and low beams accordingly. 

The Intelligent Headlamp Control system works on a simple principle—use low-beam in the presence of oncoming vehicles to not blind them and switch to high-beam in their absence to light the road ahead as best as possible. The system creates a win-win situation for all road users. Unnecessary high beams do not blind oncoming vehicles, and in the absence of oncoming vehicles, the Astor driver gets excellent forward visibility due to additional illumination by the high beam while also creating safer conditions for pedestrians.

The MG Astor’s ADAS camera constantly scans the road ahead once the headlamps have been turned on. When it identifies any vehicle, it checks if the headlamp is on low beam and, if it isn’t, automatically switches to it. When it determines the road ahead as free of oncoming traffic, it switches the headlamp to a high beam to provide maximum illumination and visibility. 

The Intelligent Headlamp Control system is one of many subsystems designed to improve the safety and comfort quotient of the MG Astor. Other subsystems include front and rear drive assist, speed assist, and adaptive cruise control.

The front-drive assist feature includes lane keep assist, lane departure warning, and lane departure prevention that helps the driver stay within their lane and only change lanes safely and intentionally. It also helps prevent forward collisions by warning the driver and uses automatic emergency braking if the warning goes unheeded.

Rear-drive assist helps with blindspot detection and alerting the driver about obstacles in the way while reversing. The speed assist system identifies local speed limits and helps drivers stay within them, either by alerting them or intervening and slowing the vehicle down.

Adaptive cruise control, finally, empowers the car with dynamic cruise control that identifies obstacles and vehicles in front of the car and slows or speeds the car up accordingly, always maintaining a safe distance.

The level 2 autonomous driving technology of ADAS is a segment-first offering, making the MG Astor launch a ground-breaking event in the Indian automotive market.