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Headlights are probably the most fundamental part of a car, along with the wheels and engines. From the very first vehicle released by Karl Benz to this day, all cars have had headlights. But the days of reflective halogen headlights are over. Now, thanks to more and more advanced technological innovations, the market has been flooded with all new types of headlights, from high intensity discharge lamps, also known as HIDs, to LED headlights and now laser lights, as seen on newer Audi, BMW. and even Mercedes.

Let me guide you through the bewildering array of headlights, outlining the pros and cons of each, so I can help you justify which one best suits your driving needs.

HALOGEN

Ah, the good old reliable halogen headlight. It has been a familiar sight in many cars, both old and new. I can list ten makes and models that still use halogens in their vehicles, just at the top of my head. And there’s good reason it’s still in use, even in this age of high-tech light sources. It is cheap. Halogens cost less than HID bulbs on average, both to replace and repair. They also provide one of the best high beam lengths of any other light source, making them a preferred bulb for those who live in the country. Now, the cons. Halogens may have great high beam capabilities, but their low beams are particularly poor, especially compared to newer types of headlights. All halogen lighting patterns are scattered and sometimes they rarely focus on the road, which means they often lose focus on what they are supposed to illuminate. Note that with HID bulbs, they often have sharp cuts, rather than shining the light all over the place. Low beams also have an incredibly low light range, making them a real problem in dark areas of the state.

HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE (HID)

Now don’t get me wrong. I love all lighthouses equally. I’m not picking any favorites … but with that said though, if I had to pick a favorite, it would be the HID headlights. It may not be your favorite (I think you’re wrong, but hey, free country) but I definitely love HIDs. These newly developed headlights were once the stuff of high-end German vehicles. As an example, the first HID headlights fitted to a conventional vehicle were the $ 300,000 AUD BMW 750il, and even then it was an optional extra! Soon these headlights started to fall on more mainstream and affordable cars, like the Toyota Camry, the Honda Civic, you name it. HID lights are preferred by many manufacturers as they often take up less space than normal halogen lights, provide better range and visibility at night, and focus the light source on the road, without excessive interference or light scattering. Its minimal space also allows car designers more flexibility with the contours and shapes of the vehicle. These lights are also praised by other drivers, who find that the more focused beam on the road means they have fewer people blinding them at night. These bulbs are also the first port of call with adaptive cornering headlights, the lights that come on when the steering wheel is turned. Since the rays are so focused and the housing is incredibly small, it has allowed many vehicles to be equipped with cornering headlights. However, HIDs are not without their problems. First of all, they are expensive to repair. Despite being more energy efficient and consuming less energy, they are generally more expensive and difficult to replace or perform a bulb change. Second, they are known for their less-than-perfect high-beam quality, with the light somewhat dull and restricted.

Before moving on to the next lighthouse shape, a quick note. While many may see an HID unit, it is worth mentioning that they come in two different bulbs. One, which is used primarily in many vehicles today, is Bi-Xenon HID bulbs. These bulbs contain an industry standard 4300K ​​lighting, but many of the aforementioned affordable vehicles (Toyota Camry and Honda Civic) contain only HID halogen bulbs. Bi-Xonnes are the most preferred, as their light source adapts better to the color of natural light or, better yet, to bright white.

Led

Like Uber’s high-end luxury barges of the 1990s, LED headlights have been considered just a feature of higher-end German vehicles. The first vehicle to offer it was the Lexus LS600hL, before it was featured in the Audi A8 flagship and the BMW 7 Series, and now it has reached the most affordable cars, such as the Honda Accord, Subaru Liberty and Toyota. CH-R. LED headlights, while they have a fantastic range for both low-beam and high-beam headlights, are undoubtedly expensive to replace and repair. However, as the market becomes more and more diluted with manufacturers of LED lights, it will soon become a standard feature in many cars.

LASER HEADLIGHTS

It has damn lasers!

Unfortunately, if you were hoping to live out your James Bond super villain fantasy, you’ll have to keep looking elsewhere. These are not lasers that can shoot and destroy the idiot driving in the outer lane, instead he is doing 10km under the limit. Laser technology has been developed for the use of headlights to provide a longer, brighter and longer range. While they are a relatively new development in the automotive industry, they are already available in higher model offerings from Audi, BMW, Mercedes Benz, and other high-end luxury automakers. It is not difficult to see why laser headlights are becoming popular. Its range helps extend visibility up to 600 meters and has been shown to increase stopping time by up to 5 seconds, which is an incredible amount. While these damn lasers are gaining popularity, it’s worth mentioning that they are incredibly complex pieces of technology, requiring a great deal of time and effort to manufacture. Laser headlights are different from LEDs, HIDs, and halogens in that they generate more heat, which means that they require special cooling fans to keep them at an optimal temperature. Since they are difficult to manufacture, you should expect a hefty repair bill if they decide to buy them. While the theory of laser headlights sounds incredible, it will be quite a while before we see it seep into more mainstream vehicles.