15-04-2014

VISIBILITY

VISIBILITY

Good all round visibility is now one of the main

requirements of body design.

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FRONT-END BLIND SPOTS ARE INFLUENCED

BY THE FOLLOWING DESIGN CRITERIA

BLIND SPOT

A blind spot in a vehicle is an area

around the vehicle that cannot be directly
observed by the driver while at the
controls, under existing circumstances.
Visibility is primarily determined by

weather conditions
vehicle's design

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EFFECTS OF A-PILLAR ANGLE ON

VISIBILITY

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DASHBOARD REFLECTION

The angle between the horizon and A-pillar

is approximately 40 degrees with a straight
pillar that is not too thick.
This gives the car a strong, aerodynamic
body with an adequately-sized front door.

It is best if the dashboard has a non-reflecting

dark colored surface.
A small dashboard gives some reflection on
the lower part of the windshield.
A big dashboard can give reflection on eye
height.

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Distance between the driver and the pillar

Thickness of the pillar
The angle of the pillar in a vertical plane side
view
The angle of the pillar in a vertical plane front
view
The form of the pillar straight or arc-form
Angle of the windshield
Height of the driver in relation to the
dashboard

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Improved frontal visibility obtained by moving driver

closer to windscreen

METHODS OF IMPROVING VISIBILITY

Forward visibility can be improved by bringing
the front seats of the passenger car closer
to the front windscreen.
On the other hand, the problem of entry is
increased, since the distance between the
seat and the pillar is decreased.
Ease of entry is possible by suitably shaping
the doors at the expense of a more
complicated structure.

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In military vehicles the downward visibility is

important and the driver must be positioned
as high as possible in relation to the lower
edge of the windscreen.
There are no strict regulations regarding
visibility; it is assumed that the upward angle
of vertical visibility should be such as to
enable the driver to see the traffic lights etc.,
and this must be taken into consideration at
the design stage.

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Rearward visibility has assumed considerable

importance in modern traffic conditions and
the increase in glass area required to
maintain a given rear view vertical angle
with a fast-back window.

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Rear visibility-Depth of rear window(ha and hb) depends

on body shape to ensure the same subtended angle
visibility

Visibility can be divided into 2 aspects: ability

to see and to be seen.
In daylight, colour is probably the most
important characteristic in making cars more
easily seen.
Glitter also makes a car more visible as well
as more attractive.

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Repeated flashers on the side must

considerably increase the chance of seeing a
turning vehicle sideways on. This only deals
with a proportion of the hazards of closing or
entering roads.

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The vertical position of signal light needs

considering, some are too low to be easily
seen by closely following drivers in traffic.
This applies to front lights since some drivers
will follow other vehicles so closely on side
lights only that low position of these lights
makes them invisible in the rear view mirror.

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Non-dazzle rear view mirrors for after dark

make it possible to estimate the distance of
the following vehicles on dipped headlights.
A coupling device is used between steering
arm and headlamps, which turns them in the
direction of the car is turning.
This
arrangement uses the over-Ackerman effect
principle.

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VISIBILITY REGULATIONS

Lights:
Headlight
Fog light
Direction indicator or turn signal light
Stop light
Rear Number plate light
Tail light
Emergency warning light

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Fog light - Vehicle light enabling the road to be

effectively illuminated in fog, snow fall, rain
storms or dust clouds.

Direction indicator or turn signal light - Lights

used by the vehicle both during day and night
by way of flashing for signalling with an
intention to change direction to the right or to
the left. The light shall be amber in colour.
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Tail light - Red light emitted by a lighting device

indicating the presence of a vehicle when seen
from the rear and intended to show the width of
the vehicle.
Emergency warning light - Roof mounted
device for use on authorised emergency
vehicles such as Police vehicles (flying
squads), hospital ambulances, fire brigade
vehicles and aerodrome vehicles.

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Driving beam or upper beam or higher beam Vehicle light intended to illuminate the road over a
great distance ahead of the vehicle.
Meeting beam or lower beam or low beam Beam illuminating only a specified limited part of the
road, in order to reduce the dazzle for an observer
approaching ahead of the vehicle.

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Stop light - Brake operated signalling rear light

on a vehicle, intended to give warning of the
slowing down or the stopping of the vehicle.
The light shall be red in colour.

Rear Number plate light - Light intended to

illuminate the rear number plate. The light
shall be white in colour.

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Headlight - A lighting device providing an

upper and/or a lower beam used for providing
illumination forward of vehicle.

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Reversing light - A device used to provide a

warning signal to pedestrains and other drivers,
when the vehicle is reversing or is about to
reverse. The light shall be white in colour.

Parking light - Light emitted by a lighting device

indicating the presence of a vehicle as parked.
The colour of the parking light shall be red for
rear application and shall be amber or yellow or
white for front application.
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B2

white

Tail light or Position Lamp

White or amber for front

Red for rear

Emergency warning light

Red

Reversing light

white

Parking light

Red for rear

Amber or yellow or white for front

*(2)

**(2)

*(1)

*At
least
one

*(2)

*(2)

*(4)

*(4)

Multipurpose
passenger
vehicles

*(2)

**(2)

*(1)

*At
least
one

*(2)

*(2)

*(4)

*(4)

Trucks /tractors

*(2)

**(2)

*(1)

*At
least
one

*(2)

*(2)

*(4)

*(4)

buses

*(2)

**(2)

*(1)

*At
least
one

*(2)

*(2)

*(4)

*(4)

Trailers

*(2)

**(2)

*(1)

*At
least
one

*(2)

*(2)

*(4)

*(4)

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ANGLES OF GEOMETRIC VISIBILITY

Passenger cars

B4

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Parking
light

red

Rear Number plate light

Stop light

Stop light

Tail light

Amber

Reversing
light

White or selective yellow

Turn signal light or

Direction Indicator Lamps

Rear
license
plate
light

Fog light

Fog light

White

Head light

COLOUR

Head light

Type of
vehicle

LIGHT

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NUMBER OF LAMBS

Direction
indicator
light

COLOURS OF THE LAMBS

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GEOMETRIC VISIBILITY REQUIREMENT

lambs

Angles of geometric visibility means the

angles which determine the field of the
minimum solid angle in which the apparent
surface of the lamp shall be visible.
horizontal angles
vertical angles

Height from the

ground

Width

Main-beam
Headlamp
Fog Lamp

No individual
specifications
Not less than 250
not more than
800 mm

No individual
specifications.
check

Reversing Lamp

less than 250 mm and

not more than 1,200
mm

No special
requirement.

Outward angle in
degree

Upward
angle in degree

Downward
angle in degree

45

Inward
angle in
degree
45

15

10

Front 45
Rear 25

10
25

5
5

5
5

45

30

15

80

45

15

15

not less than

350 mm and not more
than 1,500 mm.

45

45

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15

Front Position
Lamp

not less than 350 mm

and not more than
1,500 mm

80

45

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15

Rear Position
Lamp

not less than 350 mm

nor more than
1,500 mm

80

45

15

15

Parking Lamp

not less than

350 mm nor more than
1,500 mm

45

45

15

15

DirectionIndicator Lamp
Stop Lamp

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Slide 25
B2

Ref:AIS08
BVASANTHAN, 15-12-2013

Slide 26
B3

Ref:SS15.1 page no:23

BVASANTHAN, 15-12-2013

Slide 27
B4

Ref:AIS08 page:12
BVASANTHAN, 15-12-2013

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References:
1. AIS008
2. Vehicle body engineering by
powloski

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Day time running lamp :a lamp facing in a

forward direction used to make the vehicle
more easily visible when driving during
daytime.
tell-tale: A visual or auditory signal (or any
equivalent signal) indicating that a device has
been switched on and is operating correctly or
not.

What is DRL?
What is Tell-tale?

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