"So people don't run over pedestrians.
So you can find your car in the parking lot."
Car lights serve the first purpose.
I didn't say eliminate, I said cut by 50%. This is a tremendous waste of electricity and can be easily solved by the stated method.
"Car lights serve the first purpose."
Hardly. There is a reason there are lights at major intersections, etc. Even new halogen lights don't cast the "general" light streets lights give.
They basically serve to tell other cars where you are -- not actually light up the road.
Go drive in West Texas wild and watch a 4 way stop sneak up on you.
There is a lot of science that goes into street lights and already not a lot of wasted money or effort.