One of the changes the refreshed 2015 Ford Focus will bring when it launches in the second half of 2014 are new Bi-Xenon HID headlamps as part of the new Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFLS).
The setup assesses the ambient light surrounding a vehicle, as well as objects in the road ahead, and then adjusts the headlight beam angle and intensity to one of seven settings — depending on the vehicle’s speed, steering angle and distance to an object in front.
For instance, when the vehicle is traveling at high speeds, such as on an expressway, the headlights will be raised to project a longer, straighter beam for greater visibility further ahead. By comparison, a town environment, where the speeds are lower and street lighting more intense, will empower the system to spread the beam out downwards to more intensely illuminate the road immediately ahead, beam towards the side of the road to make cyclists and pedestrians more visible. The system will also provide greater support for drivers cornering at higher speeds by directing light further into the bend.
Stay tuned as we learn more about the 2015 Focus at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show in March.
The Motrolix Take
As far as advanced lighting systems go, the system introduced by the revised Focus ranks pretty high — even when taking into account competing units introduced by premium/luxury automakers. Although Ford hasn’t explicitly confirmed this, we expect the AFLS/Bi-Xenon setup will be an option on the Focus, rather than standard equipment. Either way, this is great news for Ford Focus customers who appreciate better forward visibility.
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