Investigation of refraction properties of light at wetted vehicle glass planes

Abstract

At night, an unobstructed view onto the surrounding traffic is particularly important for safety. The eyes adapted to the dark are sensitive to light stimulus. When driving on a wetted road, water and dirt can be swirled up and wet the vehicle glass. Thus water accumulations of varying sizes and shapes arise and soil the window. The light can be refracted in these water accumulations and cause brightening. These brightening can lead to distraction and even glare. Therefore, a new evaluation method is presented which assesses the brightening of droplets on a horizontal glass plane depending on the light source and the water accumulation. It provides information about the brightening behaviour of droplets and the impact factors of the light source and the soiled window.