NEWS: Cadillac nixes Night Vision

[GTX Playa]

Automotive News:

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.

While Cadillac is dropping Night Vision, Honda Motor Co. will offer a passive system next year in Japan.

The Raytheon Commercial Infrared division, which developed the Cadillac system, was sold last week to L-3 Communications, a technology supplier. An executive says the company is pursuing other automotive business.

Kay Kitchens, marketing director of the new L-3 infrared products division in Dallas, says, "We are in communication with virtually all carmakers, and we are at various stages." She did not confirm any definite contracts.

Night Vision's infrared system helps a driver see objects ahead.
Fading vision

The demand for Night Vision on the Cadillac DeVille was high when the option was introduced, but it has fallen fast.
Model year Units sold
2000 7,000
2001 5,500
2002 3,000
2003 2,500
2004 600
2005* 145
*Option was dropped in September

[MagicRat]

Interesting.
I recall that the system was heavily promoted a few years ago, but has not been advertised recently, which I expect, was related to the sales decline.
Also, Cadillac has lots of other high tech features and benefits to emphasise in their advertising, these days.

[Zero8985]

Cadillac is using a new night vision system, the same one used in the 2005 jeep cherokee. It's optional on the new STS, it uses a digital camera on the back of the rear view mirror that detects oncoming lights, lack of lights, and overhead lighting(street lights). If no light is coming towards the vehicle, the highbeams are turned on, and it ignores overhead lighting unless bright enough where high-beams aren't needed. If any light comes towards the vehicle, it shuts the high-beams off until the light passes, and turns them back on.