How to Identify Different Kinds of Car Headlights

The history behind car headlights design evolution is quite lengthy. There have been several engineering challenges that made the introduction of improved technologies delayed regardless of their discernible benefits. However, some engineers have managed to overcome some of the challenges and now we have a variety of headlights used commonly on our roads. You can get these LED headlights here:’s have a look at these headlight innovations and discover how to spot them while they blind us in our rear-view mirrors.

Tungsten Halogen

Halogen Car Headlight

Most headlight manufacturers use tungsten filaments housed in inert gases or halogens such as iodine and bromine. Halogen is used mainly to prevent the tungsten filament from besmirching the glass covering the headlight. This helps achieve the optimum lumens per watt ratio that the headlight requires for its entire lifespan. Spotting a tungsten halogen is easy. It produces light with a warm yellow hue and that's what you look for.

Xenon (HID)

Xenon HID Headlights

HID headlights turn metallic salts to vapor inside an arc chamber filled with xenon gas thus generating the high strength electrical arc. The light emitted from the electrical arc is reflected to offer forward brightness for your car. The light produced from HIDs is more effective than that of tungsten filament headlights. HIDs are commonly found in high-end cars. There have been several complains from drivers about the shine they emit. You can spot xenon headlights by their cool blue tinge that can be distracting.


LED Car Headlights

Spotting LED headlights are easy. All you need to look for are rings or strips of compact sources of light in place of one large light source. They have the least power consumption, prolonged lifespan, and flexible design possibilities. It has been foreseen that with the evolution of automobile technology, LEDs will out-perform HIDs eventually. However, their high cost of production and challenges facing engineers concerning heat dissipation are preventing LEDs from taking over the market. White LED lights emit light that is colder compared to the filament and not as blue as HID headlights.


Image Source: BMW USA

Currently, BMW is advancing an innovation that will let them mount lasers at the front of their future i8 hybrid. These lasers will perform far more the routine function of brightening the road ahead of the car. They are made safe by being sifted via a fluorescent phosphor material which alters color from blue to white and removing all harmful effects. Laser lights produce a coherent beam thus no need to have alternate light setting for high beam, forward and side illumination.


How to Identify Different Kinds of Car Headlights

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