The Night View Assist is an optical system based on infrared technology, such as a thermal imaging camera or a night vision device, which is permanently installed in the headlights of a vehicle. It is used to provide the driver with a long range of vision in the dark - about the same range as a conventional high beam - but without dazzling oncoming traffic or other road users. Infrared light is not visible to humans, which is why the night vision assistant is used in special vehicles such as command vehicles.
A distinction is made between active and passive night vision assistants, with the active night vision assistant acting like a headlight for infrared light. The reflected light is then recorded by a special camera in the vehicle and projected onto a display as a black-and-white image. The passive night vision assistant does not have such a headlight, it merely captures the thermal radiation from objects in a similar way to a thermal imaging camera and displays it in black and white on a screen. The active night vision assistant achieves significantly better image quality.
While there were a few attempts at the beginning of the 2000s to bring series-produced cars with built-in night vision assistants onto the market, it is no longer a rarity for military vehicles and command vehicles in special vehicle construction to be equipped with them. The advantages are obvious: you can see up to 200 meters in the dark and move around without being seen from a distance. You do not dazzle oncoming people while driving, and most animal species are not disturbed by infrared light.
