A control system for a variable transmittance optical filter assembly, the optical filter assembly comprising a pair of terminals and an optical filter electrically coupled between the pair of terminals, the control system comprising: (a) a controller communicatively coupled to a pair of load terminals for electrically coupling to the terminals of the optical filter assembly; (b) a memory communicatively coupled to the controller and having encoded thereon statements and instructions executable by the controller to transition the optical filter assembly between operating states, wherein the controller maintains the optical filter assembly in a hold mode by applying a pulse width modulated voltage signal across the load terminals, and wherein the transmittance of the optical filter assembly is held at a certain average value and variance in the hold mode, the average value being between a lower transmittance threshold and an upper transmittance threshold; and (c) a detector communicatively coupled to the controller to provide a detector output signal, wherein the statements and instructions encoded on the memory are executable by the controller to apply the pulse width modulated voltage signal across the load terminals by: comparing the detector output signal to a first threshold; applying a voltage across the load terminals when the detector output signal is below the first threshold; comparing the detector output signal to a second threshold; and removing the voltage from the load terminals, or shorting the load terminals together, when the detector output signal meets the second threshold. (a) a controller communicatively coupled to a pair of load terminals for electrically coupling to the terminals of the optical filter assembly; (b) a memory communicatively coupled to the controller and having encoded thereon statements and instructions executable by the controller to transition the optical filter assembly between operating states, wherein the controller maintains the optical filter assembly in a hold mode by applying a pulse width modulated voltage signal across the load terminals, and wherein the transmittance of the optical filter assembly is held at a certain average value and variance in the hold mode, the average value being between a lower transmittance threshold and an upper transmittance threshold; and (c) a detector communicatively coupled to the controller to provide a detector output signal, wherein the statements and instructions encoded on the memory are executable by the controller to apply the pulse width modulated voltage signal across the load terminals by: comparing the detector output signal to a first threshold; applying a voltage across the load terminals when the detector output signal is below the first threshold; comparing the detector output signal to a second threshold; and removing the voltage from the load terminals, or shorting the load terminals together, when the detector output signal meets the second threshold. comparing the detector output signal to a first threshold; applying a voltage across the load terminals when the detector output signal is below the first threshold; comparing the detector output signal to a second threshold; and removing the voltage from the load terminals, or shorting the load terminals together, when the detector output signal meets the second threshold.