NHTSA OKs advanced headlights for use in U.S.
10-13-18, 08:42 AM
#16
Lexus Champion
10-13-18, 10:35 AM
#19
Lexus Champion
10-13-18, 12:43 PM
#20
Lexus Fanatic
10-13-18, 01:21 PM
#21
Lexus Champion
Do we need headlights that are 50,000 lumens? Why not 500,000 lumens more is better.
10-13-18, 01:24 PM
#22
Lexus Fanatic
10-13-18, 07:11 PM
#23
Lexus Champion
The driver of the car cannot really judge how bright their headlights are, and with some drivers so eager to use after-market headlights that are brighter, it is easy to get headlights that are so bright (typical halogen low-beams are only 700 lumen per side and 1200 lumen per side on high-beam) that they can temporarily blind oncoming drivers.
10-13-18, 08:20 PM
#24
Lexus Fanatic
10-13-18, 09:13 PM
#25
Racer
The problem is headlights that are so bright that they blind oncoming drivers. There are more and more complaints of drivers with headlights that are blindingly bright.
The driver of the car cannot really judge how bright their headlights are, and with some drivers so eager to use after-market headlights that are brighter, it is easy to get headlights that are so bright (typical halogen low-beams are only 700 lumen per side and 1200 lumen per side on high-beam) that they can temporarily blind oncoming drivers.
The driver of the car cannot really judge how bright their headlights are, and with some drivers so eager to use after-market headlights that are brighter, it is easy to get headlights that are so bright (typical halogen low-beams are only 700 lumen per side and 1200 lumen per side on high-beam) that they can temporarily blind oncoming drivers.
Here's a video of this in action. Notice how the headlights actively carve a path around other vehicles to avoid shining light at them. Mercedes has probably the most advanced/intelligent system currently on the market. Their demo starts at 4:18.
Last edited by signdetres; 10-13-18 at 09:20 PM.
10-13-18, 09:57 PM
#26
lol, everyone here is pretty much clueless about headlights.
Luxury cars don't really need adaptive headlights. Yes, they look cool and sound cool, but the vehicle that needs it the most is....trucks. Your Lexus isn't driven in the night in the country enough for you to buy adaptive headlights. HIDs and LEDs are more than enough. In fact, I would even go as far as to say that luxury cars are the ones who should have halogens as standard and HIDs for the low budget cars. Everything is *** backwards.
As for laser headlights, those are for high beams only. Its great if you need to see all the way to the moon, but you'r not going to be on the type of road that calls for its use nor will you have the chance to use them. Lasers are great for trucks, which is funny because trucks will never get them, lol.
If a truck is to get high tech lighting, it is the F150. Ford tends to go all out on their trucks.
Luxury cars don't really need adaptive headlights. Yes, they look cool and sound cool, but the vehicle that needs it the most is....trucks. Your Lexus isn't driven in the night in the country enough for you to buy adaptive headlights. HIDs and LEDs are more than enough. In fact, I would even go as far as to say that luxury cars are the ones who should have halogens as standard and HIDs for the low budget cars. Everything is *** backwards.
As for laser headlights, those are for high beams only. Its great if you need to see all the way to the moon, but you'r not going to be on the type of road that calls for its use nor will you have the chance to use them. Lasers are great for trucks, which is funny because trucks will never get them, lol.
If a truck is to get high tech lighting, it is the F150. Ford tends to go all out on their trucks.
Last edited by theory816; 10-13-18 at 10:06 PM.
10-13-18, 10:56 PM
#27
Lexus Champion
"Curving" a light path around an oncoming vehicle does it really need to be explained why that is a bad idea? So let's make headlights "1000 times" brighter then made it so they don't shine on certain things. Amazing.
10-13-18, 11:43 PM
#28
Lexus Test Driver
I have a question - the NHTSA only talks about allowing "adaptive driving beams", which is the ability to use sensors and such to tweak the shine of the beams. This refers to the ability of the car being able to shine the line bright else where but keep the brightness away from on coming cars.
However - this doesn't mean - we will be able to get "Digital lights" (MB), Full pledge "Laser lights" or cooler sequential turn signals is my theory. This only talks about the "Adaptive Driving Beam" tech. What is likely to happen is that we will get LED headlamps with Adaptive Driving Beam tech.
I think - the NHTSA is only allowing the tech to adjust the lights while not allowing the fancy lights. I believe the laws for Laser Lights and Digital Lights have not changed.
Side note: While what the NHTSA said is great news, its still much fluff. What they did was agree to move forward with but they still have to "final action" on "public forum". No idea how long that will take.
However - this doesn't mean - we will be able to get "Digital lights" (MB), Full pledge "Laser lights" or cooler sequential turn signals is my theory. This only talks about the "Adaptive Driving Beam" tech. What is likely to happen is that we will get LED headlamps with Adaptive Driving Beam tech.
I think - the NHTSA is only allowing the tech to adjust the lights while not allowing the fancy lights. I believe the laws for Laser Lights and Digital Lights have not changed.
Side note: While what the NHTSA said is great news, its still much fluff. What they did was agree to move forward with but they still have to "final action" on "public forum". No idea how long that will take.
Last edited by BippuLexus; 10-13-18 at 11:48 PM.
10-14-18, 03:16 AM
#29
Lexus Fanatic
Simply disagreeing on something, or having different points of view, is not being clueless. Many of us in Car Chat have owned, evaluated, driven, and test-driven vehicles for decades. And Sulu, BTW, is an engineer.
10-14-18, 06:42 AM
#30
You're missing the point of these advanced headlights that are already on EU vehicles. Current US lighting systems do nothing in regards to avoid shining light directly at vehicles traveling in front of you as well as oncoming vehicles traveling towards you. These advanced headlight systems actively direct light to completely avoid shining light at oncoming drivers or those in front of you while illuminating so much more of the road. Current headlight systems that do nothing but get brighter and brighter do pose a challenge for other drivers. This system that Toyota has (rightfully) been fighting to get approved in the US will significantly reduce glare for oncoming drivers while allowing you to see so much more of the road. It's a true win-win.
Here's a video of this in action. Notice how the headlights actively carve a path around other vehicles to avoid shining light at them. Mercedes has probably the most advanced/intelligent system currently on the market. Their demo starts at 4:18.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxYiiagTI_4
Here's a video of this in action. Notice how the headlights actively carve a path around other vehicles to avoid shining light at them. Mercedes has probably the most advanced/intelligent system currently on the market. Their demo starts at 4:18.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxYiiagTI_4