The New Year is a time where many of us are looking forward, with a sense of optimism and a handful of resolutions to make this year better than before.

But this end of the calendar isn’t the most forgiving when it comes to the environment. The number of daylight hours can be frustratingly brief, particularly for those in northern Europe who are barely seeing four hours of light per day.

Add to that unforgiving weather conditions like snow and ice, wind, rain and low temperatures, and good intentions can be defeated by the urge to stay indoors with a hot drink and a cosy blanket.

Research conducted by Ford suggests that driving in the dark can be a stressful experience for many drivers, with the biggest concerns over being able to see clearly at night and being distracted by the headlights of other vehicles.

Of more than 2,500 drivers polled across Europe, more than 48 per cent said they had declined an evening social event or meeting, or changed their mode of transport to avoid driving in the dark.

62 per cent said that better lighting technology on their own vehicle and better headlights or headlight usage from other drivers would have the greatest positive impact on their confidence and safety when driving in the dark.

That’s why at Ford we offer lighting technologies that not only improve visibility and confidence for drivers, but also minimise dazzle, so you can benefit as well as other road users.

Our Matrix LED headlights ^{1, 2} are made up of several LEDs that can be controlled individually, allowing the light beam to be adjusted to suit the environment, other traffic and even weather conditions automatically in just a fraction of a second.

The Predictive Dynamic Bending Light ² can factor in navigation data, steering input and information from a forward-facing camera to adjust the light beam to illuminate curves in the road, just as you would point a torch where you want to go.

Matrix LED headlights also feature a Sign-based Light function, ² which detects road signs and can adjust the beam pattern at junctions to better illuminate cyclists and pedestrians, and the Bad Weather Light ² adjusts the pattern when the windscreen wipers are activated for more confidence in poor conditions.

A feature that also benefits other road users is Glare-Free High Beam, ² which detects other road users and creates a “glare-free spot” by switching off individual LEDs that would otherwise shine in the eyes of other drivers. That means you can use the power of high beams more of the time without dazzling others, all controlled automatically.

Available on Puma, Puma Gen-E, Kuga, Explorer and Capri, Matrix LED ^{1, 2} technology is highly sophisticated but simple to use, and gives you the confidence to venture outside knowing that your Ford will help to show you the way ahead.

Stefan Tinnemann is senior communications manager at Ford Model e, Europe

¹ Optional feature

² Driver-assist features are supplemental to and do not replace the driver’s attention, judgement and need to control the vehicle.