Lighting has certainly changed over the years…for cars, that is! Drivers no longer have to rely on halogen headlamps as xenon lighting is coming into fashion. Owners also don’t have to opt for stock taillights like the European ones. [or Altezza] The lights are in fashion. Even fog lights have come a long way, baby! Let’s take a look at the newest kid on the block, xenon headlights, and how they can light up his driving world.
If you could have a set of headlights that produced twice the light of halogen bulbs while using only half the energy, that would be a good thing, right? Yes, it certainly would and that’s the idea behind xenon headlights, which are rapidly gaining acceptance as standard equipment on luxury vehicles around the world, as well as on certain popular mass-produced vehicles.
A key feature of xenon headlamp technology is that they produce a clear white light closer to natural daylight, which has been shown to improve driver concentration. Reduced eyestrain means drivers can do what they do best: get where they and their passengers are going, safely.
Road markings and signs are easier to read with xenon headlights compared to halogen bulbs. In fact, xenon headlights are a major safety upgrade, as the driver’s field of vision is greatly increased, improving reaction time in emergency situations. Traveling on dark, unlit back roads can be a safety hazard even in broad daylight. However, with xenon headlights, the obstacle your halogen-powered car might have hit will come into your field of vision much sooner with the xenon lights installed, allowing you to avoid life-threatening contact. [for the buck definitely!]. Popular surveys reveal that up to 80% of all accidents occur due to poor visibility.
In European markets, cars with Xenon technology also come equipped with a headlight cleaning system to ensure optimum visibility, as well as an auto leveling system to allow limited rotation of the headlight projector while turning your vehicle. Some systems take xenon technology one step further: Xenon Dynamic Bending Light or DBL technology are special headlights that rotate the light beam according to the angle of the steering wheel. Bi-xenon headlights, which work in both high and low beam modes, help improve vision on wide curbs by up to 90%.
Naturally, xenon technology is expensive and you can’t convert halogen headlamps to xenon or xenon to bi-xenon…yet. However, some manufacturers sell auxiliary lights that can be added to your bumper to give you an alternative.
Of course, price is one of the factors why Xenon technology hasn’t caught on yet. Even on luxury cars I have seen bi-Xenon headlights offered as an option, to the tune of an extra $750! As with all technological advances, you can expect that someone, somewhere is refining the technology, which hit the market in 1992, to bring xenon headlights to the masses. This is good news for everyone, as accidents associated with poor visibility should start to decline accordingly.