Basically there are 3 types of lights used in cars.
1) Halogen Lights. (Old one)
2) Xenon Lights.
3) LED lights.
Now a days, premium cars are coming with mix and match of Xenon and LED lights. The one which really disturbs is bright Xenon or LED which is manufactured by aftermarket manufacturers. The one which is company fitted is not that sharp.
I will point out few advantages in brief, which will help you understand why automobile companies are using these lights.
1) Halogen Light:
It is made of a glass envelope capable of resisting very high temperatures, plus a gas, usually a combination of argon and nitrogen, and a tungsten filament. In order to create light, the bulb receives electricity from the car and heats the tungsten filament to around 2,500 degrees Celsius while the filament, in its turn, starts the incandescence process, thus creating a type of light visible to the naked eye.
ADVANTAGES:
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Longer life:
They have a very long life. Basically a halogen light bulb has a lifetime of about 1,000 hours under normal conditions.
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Different dimensions:
They come in a number of different sizes, which basically means that such bulbs can be installed on most car models.
They are dimmable, thus allowing carmakers to build multiple versions, depending on body type and dimensions.
DISADVANTAGES:
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Energy wasting:
The biggest problem is that, while generating the radiating light, the bulb also creates a large amount of heat which basically represents wasted energy.
When the halogen light bulb comes to the end of its lifetime, it usually happens so because the tungsten in the filament evaporates and leaves the filament, finally reaching the glass and causing the light to burn.
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Require extra care:
Another major problem with halogen bulbs is also the way they react to various substances. For example, when replacing a faulty bulb, it is mandatory to avoid touching the glass! The salt in the skin oil can result in damages to the glass of the bulb which won't resist too much to the high temperature inside.
2) Xenon Lights:
Xenon headlights, officially known as high-intensity discharge headlamps, are usually known as a more efficient solution, because of color, temperature and amount of light they produce. Such a lamp contains xenon gas, hence the slight blue tint of the light
ADVANTAGES:
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Longer lifetime than halogen lights.
Xenon lights have a pretty long lifetime, exceeding the one of halogen lamps: estimates are pointing to an operation life of around 2,000 hours in normal conditions.
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More efficient than halogen as they use less power.
A xenon headlight is much more efficient when it comes to the amount of produced light as compared to the halogen ones. According to official stats, a xenon bulb produces 3000 lumens and 90 mcd/m2, while a halogen light generates 1400 lumens and 30 mcd/m2.
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Better visibility to the driver
DISADVANTAGES:
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Too much glare and thus, potential problems for the incoming traffic.
The amount of glare generated by the headlamps might be extremely disturbing for the other drivers on the road, especially for incoming traffic, thus raising the number of accidents and fatalities caused by other than speed and technical problems.
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Very high costs.
Xenon lights are more expensive at almost any given chapter, regardless if we're discussing about installation costs, replacing or maintenance.
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Possible harmful materials could be used.
Some xenon headlamps could have a harmful impact on our health, as some versions could contain toxic substances, such as metal mercury. Some countries have imposed special regulations that require a number of light bulbs to contain mercury but, of course, this would only lead to higher production and repair costs.
3) LED Lights:
The most important aspect when it comes to LED headlights is the fact that they need very low power to work. LEDs are for instance used on Toyota Prius and on a couple of other hybrids on which electricity plays a key role.
ADVANTAGES:
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Small size, allow great manipulation for various shapes.
Thanks to their small size, LEDs allow great manipulation, thus allowing producers to create all kinds of shapes and assemblies that would perfectly match their models.
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Very low energy consumption.
DISADVANTAGES:
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High production costs:
At the present time, LEDs are pretty expensive and are only offered, mostly as options, on premium to luxurious cars.
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Low amount of generated power:
The amount of power generated by light-emitting diodes is generally believed to be in between the ones produced by halogen and xenon lamps but, with the efforts made by carmakers, LEDs are likely to improve a lot in the future.
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High temperature created around adjacent assemblies:
There are a number of issues to be clarified however. For example, although LEDs do not emit heat as they emit light, as it's the case of the halogen headlights, they create a certain amount of heat at the bottom of the emitter, thus creating a potential risk for adjacent assemblies and connectivity cables.
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Automakers are generally avoiding using LEDs for headlights especially for this reason but, instead, they're adopting the technology for turn signals, daytime running lights or brake lamps.
So to increase the efficiency of the head lights, companies have adopted the mix and match of LEDs and Xenon/Bi-xenon lamps, coupled with automated systems and sensors, which increases the efficiency of lights to reduce headlight glare and corner lighting.
The one which is factory fitted will hardly trouble any one's eye as those are tested vigorously before the actual fitment. But the one which disturbs the most is sold in aftermarkets. |
