Valeo Technology to Debut on Bertone Concept Car

    PARIS--March 5, 2003--Valeo (Paris: FR; OTC: VLEEY) today announced that the Geneva International Motor Show is showcasing a concept car featuring a range of innovative Valeo technologies.
    The Geneva Show marks the world preview of the Birusa sports car, a concept car from Bertone, Italy. The Birusa interprets a classic Bertone theme - uncompromising Italian sportiness and supremely enjoyable driving - with the design reflecting the features of a true sports car with an impressive sloping bonnet, a tapered drop-shaped cabin and a short muscular rear.
    Commenting on Valeo's collaboration with Bertone, Thierry Morin, Chairman of Valeo's Management Board said, "We are delighted to have collaborated so successfully with Bertone in the application of Valeo technologies - many of which are likely to be adopted by volume car makers in the future. I am sure that Bertone's vision of the sports car of the future will set trends both in styling terms and the application of advanced systems."

    Active Infrared Night Vision

    Valeo's high performance night vision system provides the driver with a 300 percent improvement in forward visibility by providing the equivalent of conventional high-beam illumination but in low-beam mode to prevent dazzling other road users. Active Infrared Night Vision offers 200 meters forward visibility compared to only 60-80 meters for conventional headlamps in low-beam mode.
    The system delivers the equivalent of conventional full-beam illumination by using an infrared light beam that is invisible to the human eye. An on-board camera captures images of the road ahead and these are presented on a steering wheel mounted display, positioned to minimise distraction but within the driver's field of vision.

    Bi-Xenon Projector Headlamps

    The Birusa also adopts Valeo's state-of-the-art headlamp technology to provide powerful illumination in both main and low-beam mode - each headlamp using only a single Xenon light source. Inside each headlamp unit an actuator changes the position of a shield. When it is raised, low-beam lighting is provided, when the shield is lowered high-beam light is produced.
    Valeo's Bi-Xenon Projector Headlamps have been designed to offer 100 percent more light than conventional halogen bulbs, of equivalent headlamp volume, to meet the consumer need for brighter and wider illumination of the road ahead.

    LED Lighting

    Valeo, the world leader in lighting systems, has applied innovative LED lighting technology to facilitate styling freedom at the front and rear of the Birusa while ensuring optimal lighting performance. Ten LED's, operating at different voltages provide lighting applications such as day-time running lights, indicators and town lighting.

    LED Rear Light Clusters

    A particularly striking design feature of the Birusa is the adoption of innovative rear LED lighting from Valeo.
    For the Birusa, Bertone has achieved styling harmony by highlighting the outline of Valeo's slender LED rear light clusters. The LEDs face the interior of the vehicle where light is reflected towards the exterior. Valeo has demonstrated the ease with which LED rear light clusters can be custom-styled and integrated - a major benefit to carmakers worldwide.
    The LED rear light clusters adopt Valeo's revolutionary mono-LED technology that enables all rear signal functions by using one LED per function. For the Birusa application, Valeo has demonstrated that LEDs can offer differential lighting intensity, if required, for the rear brake light function which is calibrated to reflect the braking effort being applied - the greater the force applied to the brake pedal, the more intense illumination of the brake lights.
    Compared to traditional incandescent bulbs, LED's have a shorter rise time, a long lifetime of over 2,000 hours and achieve a fivefold reduction in power consumption.
    Valeo is an independent industrial Group fully focused on the design, production and sale of components, integrated systems and modules for cars and trucks. Valeo ranks among the world's top automotive suppliers. The Group has 140 plants, 54 R&D centers, 9 distribution centers and employs 69,100 people in 25 countries worldwide.
    For more information on the Group and its businesses, please consult our Web site: www.valeo.com