Technical Paper
Evaluation of Automotive Stop Lamps Using Incandescent and Sweeping Neon and LED Light Sources
2001-03-05
2001-01-0301
This paper describes a study of visual responses to center high mounted stop lamps (CHMSLs) using a newly developed sweeping neon lamp. This study compares sweeping neon, incandescent, and light-emitting diode (LED) technologies. The incandescent CHMSL was a conventional after-market CHMSL brake light. The sweeping neon CHMSL used a novel controller whereby the luminous signal started at the center of the neon tube and grew in a “sweeping” motion outward toward the ends of the tube at an adjustable rate. The sweeping LED CHMSL had a segmented display simulating the sweeping characteristics of the neon CHMSL. Both the neon and LED CHMSLs had faster onset times than the incandescent CHMSL. Experimental subjects performed a tracking task cognitively similar to driving, and released a flip switch upon detecting the onset of the CHMSLs, which were mounted so as to be seen peripherally.