MERCEDES-BENZ claims a new 'swivelling headlamp' system it has developed will make driving at night safer.

The system has headlamps that follow the driver's steering movements and swivel in the corresponding direction as the vehicle enters a curve.

The manufacturer claims that the illumination of the traffic lane is improved by up to 90%.

It added: 'The active cornering headlamp system constantly matches itself to the speed of the cars; whereas the headlamps follow the steering wheel angle almost instantaneously during high-speed driving, the swivelling mechanism operates at a correspondingly slower speed when the car is proceeding at a more modest rate in order to ensure that the driver can relate to the way the beam pattern changes.'

The headlamps are expected to go into series production from spring next year.