AMG
15-11-2004, 05:37 PM
الموضوع بالكامل هنا للترجمة طبعا...........
Cadillac Drops Nigh Vision
By Jens Meiners
Automotive News / November 15, 2004
DETROIT -- Cadillac has dropped the Night Vision option on the 2005 DeVille luxury sedan and will not offer it again.
Jay Spenchian, Cadillac marketing director, says the division might offer an alternative infrared vision system. Cadillac's Night Vision was a passive infrared vision system.
"If we bring a Night Vision system again, it would be an active system," Spenchian says. "But there are no plans for that at this point."
Cadillac began offering the Raytheon Co. system on 2000 model DeVilles.
Initially, there was high demand. For the 2000 model year, about 7,000 buyers equipped their cars with the option. Cadillac had anticipated sales of about 2,000 units.
Since then, demand has fallen, and only 600 units were sold for the 2004 model year. It had been offered as a $2,250 option on 2005 models, and 145 units were sold before it was dropped in September.
Passive infrared vision systems display the thermal energy emitted by obstacles, enabling the user to see them on a display. Active systems emit an infrared ray that illuminates the area in front of the car. It is invisible to the eye but is captured by an infrared camera and displayed to the driver.
The effect of an active system can be compared with the effect of high-beam headlights. Passive systems often show a "negative" picture. Higher-temperature items such as exposed body parts - but also tires and exhaust systems - are highlighted. When it is warm outside, the picture turns to a fuzzy gray. Both systems use screens or head-up displays.
The usefulness of infrared vision systems has been questioned, and word-of-mouth evidently has not helped Cadillac.
Passive systems are about twice as expensive as active systems. Companies such as France's Valeo SA and Germany's Automotive Lighting and Hella KG Hueck & Co. are developing active systems.
Cadillac Drops Nigh Vision
By Jens Meiners
Automotive News / November 15, 2004
DETROIT -- Cadillac has dropped the Night Vision option on the 2005 DeVille luxury sedan and will not offer it again.
Jay Spenchian, Cadillac marketing director, says the division might offer an alternative infrared vision system. Cadillac's Night Vision was a passive infrared vision system.
"If we bring a Night Vision system again, it would be an active system," Spenchian says. "But there are no plans for that at this point."
Cadillac began offering the Raytheon Co. system on 2000 model DeVilles.
Initially, there was high demand. For the 2000 model year, about 7,000 buyers equipped their cars with the option. Cadillac had anticipated sales of about 2,000 units.
Since then, demand has fallen, and only 600 units were sold for the 2004 model year. It had been offered as a $2,250 option on 2005 models, and 145 units were sold before it was dropped in September.
Passive infrared vision systems display the thermal energy emitted by obstacles, enabling the user to see them on a display. Active systems emit an infrared ray that illuminates the area in front of the car. It is invisible to the eye but is captured by an infrared camera and displayed to the driver.
The effect of an active system can be compared with the effect of high-beam headlights. Passive systems often show a "negative" picture. Higher-temperature items such as exposed body parts - but also tires and exhaust systems - are highlighted. When it is warm outside, the picture turns to a fuzzy gray. Both systems use screens or head-up displays.
The usefulness of infrared vision systems has been questioned, and word-of-mouth evidently has not helped Cadillac.
Passive systems are about twice as expensive as active systems. Companies such as France's Valeo SA and Germany's Automotive Lighting and Hella KG Hueck & Co. are developing active systems.