Valeo's Bending Light System Provides Superior Levels of Comfort to Porsche Cayenne Drivers

    PARIS--Nov. 13, 2002--Valeo (Paris: FR; OTC: VLEEY) the world leader in automotive lighting technology, today announced that the innovative Bending Light system is to make its market debut on the new Porsche Cayenne luxury SUV scheduled for worldwide launch following its premiere at Paris Mondial.
    During periods of night driving or when visibility is poor, Valeo's high performance Bi-Xenon headlamp units provide Porsche Cayenne drivers with excellent forward visibility using elliptic Xenon beams and an additional far-reaching "spot" beam which takes into account the high-performance capability of the Porsche Cayenne.
    Each headlamp unit also accommodates Valeo's innovative Bending Light module that complements Bi-Xenon low beam by achieving up to a 90 percent improvement in the peripheral range of the forward view of the driver.
    Drivers will appreciate this dramatic improvement in vision when negotiating sharp bends or intersections on both rural and urban roads. The high performance of the Bending Light module is achieved by lighting control electronics with a specific algorithm to process steering wheel angle and vehicle speed data. This controls the progressive delivery of additional light required for optimal illumination allowing early recognition of the near-side lane and peripheral objects such as pedestrians, cyclists, stationary cars and road signs.
    Levels of both safety and comfort will be significantly enhanced leading directly to a less stressful and less tiring driving experience for Porsche Cayenne drivers.
    Commenting on the commercial success of Valeo's new Bending Light technology, Thierry Morin, Chairman of Valeo's Management Board, said, "This contract from Porsche underlines the priority Valeo places on customer focused R&D and contributes to our goal of being recognized as the world leader in vehicle lighting technology. I applaud the expertise and creativity of the many engineers and technicians who have collaborated so successfully to turn an exciting market-driven concept into a new system with great market potential."
    Following excellent co-operation with German authorities, the Bi-Xenon headlamp units, incorporating Bending Light modules, are compliant with existing regulations and amendments and will be compatible with forthcoming vehicle lighting regulations such as "Rxx", expected in 2006.
    The specification of Bending Light technology is flexible in order to accommodate the various design and styling criteria adopted by different vehicle manufacturers for their model ranges where the appearance of front and rear light clusters are distinguishing design clues. Valeo's in-house styling experts are well positioned to offer vehicle manufacturers advice on the latest styling trends and options for creating distinctive multi-functional lighting systems.
    This design and styling expertise is complimented by significant technical know-how through Valeo's partnership with Ichikoh of Japan and Valeo Sylvania of North America.
    The Porsche Cayenne Bending Light module, incorporated into the Bi-Xenon headlamp unit, is a 50 millimeter elliptical module light source with a horizontal beam cut-off line pre-orientated at 35 degrees towards the vehicle exterior. Bending Light modules can also be specified with either reflector or projector type light sources or it is feasible to accommodate both low beam and Bending Light in one compact reflector design. All Valeo's advanced lighting systems, including Bending Light, can be easily integrated into a vehicles' electrical architecture through the use of light control electronics.
    The development of Bending Light, together with other innovative systems such as Dynamic Bending Light, is an integral part of Valeo's "Seeing and Being Seen" Domain that drives the company's technology and marketing strategy to address the single consumer need for enhanced all round visibility from both within and from outside the vehicle.
    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 139 plants, 53 R&D centers, 10 distribution centers and employs nearly 71,000 people in 24 countries worldwide (end September 2002).

    For more information on the Group and its businesses, please consult our Web site: www.valeo.com