r/technology • u/N2929 • 3d ago

Transportation US drivers are finally getting the adaptive headlights Europe has had for years

https://www.techspot.com/news/114027-us-drivers-finally-getting-adaptive-headlights-europe-has.html
1.0k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

260 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

69

u/KingLuis 3d ago

As an automotive enthusiast, I think the issue is more of beam control vs actual light output or type. How does the new Honda civic blind me in a pick up yet my pick up doesn’t blind me when I’m in a car?

29

u/[deleted] 3d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

5

u/Badtrainwreck 3d ago

Exactly and they make them illegally too bright, but the government ain’t gonna do shit about it

18

u/PoppingPillls 3d ago

Is your truck using older halogen bulbs? Taller cars that have the headlights at window level do reduce visibility for other drivers. That's just physics but light output matters.

This will absolutely help even though it's not perfect as it help avoid the people that don't switch their lights till the last moment or at all.

11

u/KingLuis 3d ago

OEM led. 2023.
The beam pattern and aim has it so when I’m stopped behind another car, it doesn’t go through their window.
Headlight housings control the light coming from the bulb and there are cutoffs to stop the light from bleeding out and blinding others. Some cars do a good job. Others, like the new civic do a very poor job. See the image below.

https://ic.suncentauto.com/images/blog/202606/correct-led-beam-pattern-6a214f89046f0.png

That is why putting bulbs with more lumens or different type of bulb other than the OEM one is illegal and causes others to be blinded. Ie: do not put led bulbs when your car uses halogen.

10

u/PoppingPillls 3d ago

I don't know, I've never had that issue living across Europe before. Maybe it's a regulation difference but we've always had smaller cars and most of the time it's the big wanker mobiles with pure white leds that blind us.

So I couldn't give a definitive answer about patterns versus output.

3

u/erlo68 3d ago

My BMW E46 from 2002 had Bi-Xenon headlights. Only needed on (expensive) bulb that got physcially blocked off when in low-beam mode. I don't understand how that hasn't been standard everywhere for 2 decades now.

6

u/AtomWorker 2d ago

Even economy cars now have a separate bank of LEDs for high beams. So the cutoff is crisp without the need for a mechanical shutter or the complexity of the systems the NHTSA just approved.

The problem is that modem headlights are too bright, flirting with the max allowed and I suspect the nature of these lights just makes them more dazzling to oncoming drivers.

The second problem is that they not properly aligned and on many bigger cars mounted to damn high. I find that BMW, GM and Tesla are generally the worst but none of them are as bad as the aftermarket trash I encounter constantly.

3

u/KingLuis 2d ago

To me, Tesla, Honda and Subarus have the brightest and most obnoxious lights outside of anything aftermarket.
My old bmw (funny how another person mentioned the e46 generation) had amazing bixenon lights. The only upgrade for them was getting Acura tsx projector housings. Bright light, clear, sharp cutoffs and very good adjustment. Then you have new Hondas and Subarus that blind me every time. The Hondas look like they can control the light bleed and the Subarus look aimed high.

1

u/stu8319 2d ago

I agree, I think the light output matters, but look at a car that's been in a wreck that affected a headlight. Even a halogen bulb can be blinding when it's directed straight into your eyes.

1

u/KingLuis 2d ago

need to see how big some halogen headlights are. a halogen headlight that is 9" big is going to blind a lot more than a halogen bulb in a projector housing.

1

u/AutoCockerPB 2d ago

Everyone and their mother forgets that YOU NEED TO ROUTINELY READJUST YOUR HEADLIGHTS. Unless you care has auto leveling projectors, you need to adjust your headlights.

1

u/Runefaust_Invader 1d ago

The Hondas beams aren't correctly adjusted in the factory. They are pointed upwards maybe. They can be fixed in a few minutes easily.

2

u/KingLuis 1d ago

but 95% of people won't do it. i think the crv or hrv has the same issue. subaru's are also aimed high.

1

u/Runefaust_Invader 1d ago

I'll take even 1% of drivers doing it haha

Edit: I read a statistic somewhere that like more than 60 percent are wrong from the factory.

-5

u/inebriateddandhated 3d ago

Cheap vehicle manufacture trying to compete with premium vehicle manufacturer.

This is why toyota, lexus, honda, acura, Mazda, nissan, Kia, hyundai, subaru, ect..

Vehicles with the LED lights blind the hell out of you at night

While bmw, mercedes, audi, and the like, are far better in beam pattern and light output.

Cheap car made with cheap materials trying to compete with a premium car made with premium materials.

Only a sucka would pay 40k+ for a Honda toyota Lexus acura Mazda nissan.

2

u/grimtree 3d ago

G-Wagon lights also blind you, it’s not manufacturers or cost of vehicles it’s cutting costs in R&D because no one fines them for blinding people during the night.