AuctorEcclesiae,

I am very near sighted and as I get older have also noticed I have difficulty decoding visual information in poor lighting situations. The answer for me is not brighter lights in the normal headlamp and high beam locations as these tend to merely reflect off the wet road surface into the eyes of the oncoming traffic and send very little additional information back to me. I have found higher power fog lights, which are typically aimed at a steeper angle to the road and spread light out to the sides, gives me a better view of the upcoming road. The steeper angle adds to the amount of light reflected back to me off the road surface, and the wider angle of dispersion tends to light up the rougher road surfaces along the sides of the road for a greater distance.

I am also very particular about the condition of the windshield. I carefully clean the plasticizer vapors that condense on the inside surface, and add to the difficulty seeing through the windshield at night, on a regular basis. I have taken to using Rain-X on the inside as well as the outside, and have found if you wipe off the Rain-X residue with a damp cloth the tendency to leave smeary or streaky deposits is overcome. Rain-X seems to work best for me, a little like the multi-coating technology used on camera and now eye glass lenses to change the abruptness of the density change between air and glass, and lead more light to be transmitted and less to be reflected. As any windshield gets older though, it gets chewed up and pitted by road debris. This pitting adds to the problem of getting enough light through the glass and cannot be effectively repaired or improved with Rain-X or any other such treatment I am aware of at the moment. On my 1982 240D I recently had the front glass replaced and that made such a difference I will be replacing the windshield 1986 190E 2.3-16 this Fall.

So, my suggestion is you attack the problem on all fronts, meaning better illumination and ensuring the best conditions for getting the information you need to pass back through the windshield to the sensor and processor behind the wheel. Good luck, and I hope this helps. Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)