Headlights And The New Iihs Testing Initiative

[ImOnabus]

regarding the results of the new iihs headlight testing initiative, specifically massive fails from bmw and other luxury/performance vehicles where apparently styling comes at the expense of performance, I truly hope that Paul being an engineer is going to deliver a vehicle with headlights that provide maximum possible lighting performance.

edit: it may be interesting to note that the only vehicle that achieved a "good" rating was (gag) the prius v - I think I threw up in my mouth a little...

 

[larryboy]

regarding the results of the new iihs headlight testing initiative, specifically massive fails from bmw and other luxury/performance vehicles where apparently styling comes at the expense of performance, I truly hope that Paul being an engineer is going to deliver a vehicle with headlights that provide maximum possible lighting performance.

edit: it may be interesting to note that the only vehicle that achieved a "good" rating was (gag) the prius v - I think I threw up in my mouth a little...

I hope that this does not result in all new cars having the high intensity lights that look like two welding arcs coming down the highway. As these new cars age the lights don't dim and yellow. That sounds fine but just imagine what that will be like in a few years. The cars will have spongy suspensions and a trunk full of junk. The lights will no longer be properly aimed and will blind oncoming drivers.

 

[Sethodine]

However, LED headlights are really coming down in price, and you can get them in standard bulb sockets now to replace your old yellow bulbs. And most of the LED replacement bulbs don't point a bright beam forward, so you don't cause that painful "arc light" effect.
But as with any car using any bulb, you will always have the "heavy load = high beam" effect. Even modern auto- or electronically-adjusted headlights have trouble getting beam angle right (or driver's just don't bother to hit the button to adjust their beam).

 

[Marshall]

However, LED headlights are really coming down in price, and you can get them in standard bulb sockets now to replace your old yellow bulbs. And most of the LED replacement bulbs don't point a bright beam forward, so you don't cause that painful "arc light" effect.
But as with any car using any bulb, you will always have the "heavy load = high beam" effect. Even modern auto- or electronically-adjusted headlights have trouble getting beam angle right (or driver's just don't bother to hit the button to adjust their beam).

There's a button that does that?

 

[Sethodine]

There's a button that does that?

My 2012 Leaf has a three-position roller switch. "1" is aimed high, "2" is middle (fully-loaded back seat) and "3" is low (fully loaded trunk). Although we generally just leave it set to "3" anyways, because the LED headlights are so bright and clear that we don't need them aimed any higher.

I would be really surprised if other cars built in the last 7 years didn't have this feature or a similar feature.

 

[Maurtis]

Our 2011 Kia Sorento, 2012 Hyundai Veloster and 2015 Toyota Venza all do not. Pretty sure the Leaf is just exceptionally technology forward. But those were all halogen or HIDs, no LED headlights.

 

[bunchathrees]

Our 2011 Kia Sorento, 2012 Hyundai Veloster and 2015 Toyota Venza all do not. Pretty sure the Leaf is just exceptionally technology forward. But those were all halogen or HIDs, no LED headlights.

That might just be the answer. The Leaf is a showcase in many respects. My 2013 F150 is without adjustable beams as well.

 

[Sethodine]

I only just learned about this after owning the car for nearly a year, so it might be an innocuous switch in some out-of-the-way corner of the dash.

 

[pistonboy]

I dislike the blue tinted headlights currently popular with the "terminally chic" crowd who always have to be trendy. I prefer the traditional yellow tinted headlights. They are easier on the night vision. I believe some gauges are illuminated with red in order to not hinder night vision. (If I am wrong, tell me)

Color towards the red end of the spectrum seems easier on the eyes. I once encountered a vehicle at night with completely yellow headlights. Their headlights were on bright, but they were no problem to me.

 

[Marshall]

I dislike the blue tinted headlights currently popular with the "terminally chic" crowd who always have to be trendy. I prefer the traditional yellow tinted headlights. They are easier on the night vision. I believe some gauges are illuminated with red in order to not hinder night vision. (If I am wrong, tell me)

Color towards the red end of the spectrum seems easier on the eyes. I once encountered a vehicle at night with completely yellow headlights. Their headlights were on bright, but they were no problem to me.

That makes sense (I think) since the ulta-violet side of the spectrum has the least bend when refracted while the infra-red side has the most as the atmosphere acts as a prism.