Understanding Ford’s Adaptive Headlights: Enhanced Night Driving

How Adaptive Headlights Work

While driving at night, you only have clear visibility inside the cones of light cast ahead by your headlamps. Anything outside this lit area is in darkness, which is fine when the road is straight and easily illuminated. However, when the road curves or you corner, you’re about to enter that dark patch to the left or right, and you need to see it clearly. 

This is where adaptive headlights help. Rather than being fixed in place, the headlight harness can swivel. Using a sensor in your steering wheel, the headlights swivel in the same direction to the same degree, which lights up the area of road you’re moving into. At the same time, the headlight on the outside of the curve may shorten its beam length, while the inside beam lengthens for even better illumination of the curving road.

How Adaptive Headlights Keep You Safe

With improved visibility, you’ll have less risk of a nighttime collision. You’ll see other vehicles sooner. You’re also less likely to miss a deer, cyclist, pedestrian, or parked car at the edge of the road. 

This is a significant benefit, as 50 percent of fatal road accidents occur at night, largely due to reduced visibility. Adaptive headlights also reduce your stress and fatigue from eye strain. 

How to Activate Ford Adaptive Headlights

To use this feature, you’ll first need to activate Autolamp mode in your Ford, which allows your headlights to automatically turn on in low-light conditions. Autolamp may already become active by default whenever you start your car. 

Then, to turn on adaptive headlights, you can use your SYNC system. In Settings, go to Vehicle, and tap Lighting. You can then toggle Adaptive Headlights on or off. Note that you can only use this feature when traveling over 3 mph.

Adaptive Headlights vs Automatic High Beams

Some people mix up these two valuable features. Automatic high beams reduce the risk of blinding other drivers with the glare of your high-beam bulbs. With the feature active, your car detects oncoming cars and lowers the high beams as they pass before turning them back up again, which saves you from having to remember each time. Automatic high beams can be both fixed or adaptive. 

Let us show you how adaptive headlights work in your favorite Ford model. Visit Coughlin Ford of Heath in Newark, OH, for personalized customer service from experienced Ford technicians. 

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