The invention relates to an adaptive segmentally controlled tunnel illumination control system and method; the system comprises a tunnel illumination controller, a signal detection unit, a Zigbee network unit, and a plurality of illumination lamp sets; the signal detection unit comprises a vehicle sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, a brightness sensor, a temperature sensor, and a raindrop sensor; the Zigbee network unit comprises Zigbee main node module connected with the tunnel illumination controller, and a plurality of Zigbee node modules respectively connected with the illumination lamp sets; the illumination lamp sets comprise an introduction segment lamp set arranged outside the tunnel, an illumination lamp set arranged in the entrance segment in the tunnel, a transition segment illumination lamp set, a middle segment illumination lamp set, an exit segment illumination lamp set, and a road lamp illumination lamp set arranged outside the tunnel, and also comprise an emergency illumination lamp set. The adaptive segmentally controlled tunnel illumination control system can realize tunnel illumination, satisfies illumination curve demands of human eyes, thus eliminating black frame, black hole and white hole effects.