Posted on 02/19/2024 8:56:17 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
Imagine if you could drive at night with your high beams on all the time, bathing the road ahead in bright light but without ever blinding other drivers.
In Europe and Asia, many cars offer adaptive driving beam headlights that can do this. ADB is a lighting technology that has been available for many years in other parts of the world including Europe, China and Canada, but not in the United States.
It can actually shape the light coming from headlights rather than scattering it all over the road. If there’s a car coming in the other direction, or one driving ahead in the same lane, the light stays precisely away from that vehicle. The rest of the road is still covered in bright light with just a pocket of dimmer light around the other vehicles. This way a deer, pedestrian or bicyclist by the side of the road can still be seen clearly while other drivers sharing the road can see, too.
In America, the closest we can get to that today are automatic high beams, a feature available on many new cars that automatically flicks off the high beams if another vehicle is detected ahead. But that still means driving much — or most — of the time using only low beam headlights that don’t reach very far. That can be dangerous.
U.S. auto safety regulations enacted in 2022 were supposed to finally allow ADB headlight, something for which the auto industry and safety groups had long been asking for. But, according to automakers and safety advocates, the new rules make it difficult for automakers to add the feature. That means it will probably be years before ADB headlights are widely available in the US.
(Excerpt) Read more at channel3000.com ...
LED lights of all kinds seem to produce blinding light when looked at, but do not seem to illuminate the surrounding area very well.
Both my wife and I had cataract surgery performed last year. She knew her sight was getting bad but I thought I was OK until tested.
Anyway, we opted to spend the extra cash and get the multi-focal lenses so we wouldn't have to wear glasses anymore. Now we don't have to wear any glasses and we both have great vision at night so we don't ever have to worry about going out.
You’re actually able to do that in the east in Amish/Mennonite country. It’s awesome.
Those are the Daytime Running Lights, DRL. If people have a vehicle with the DRLs but do not have, or have turned off, their auto-on headlights, they will end up running at night with only those DRLs on.
If you have DRLs most insurance companies give you a small discount.
I’d be hesitant to drive by moonlight in forested areas, but it’s great out in sagebrush/creosote desert.
The car companies are making the repairs more costly as they make much more money.
See how simple it is to replace a bulb in my car.
To buy a pair of light bulbs for my 2016 Honda Accord Sport is around $40 from Autozone
https://www.autozone.com/collision-body-parts-and-hardware/headlight/honda/accord/2016
Much cheaper here at $7.99 a piece.
https://www.lightbulbs.com/automotive/2016-honda-accord-replacement-light-bulbs
DIY 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Honda Accord Replacing Headlight Bulbs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJv-pnEWkcg
To replace the headlight assembly you have to remove the bumper...
How to Replace Headlights 2013-2017 Honda Accord
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwlky9glTTU
I was thinking of a bar above the roof like rally cars with a row of lights across. That way the lights would be right at eye level for the driver of the truck! See… great minds think alike 😅
“These LEDs put way too much of their energy out at wavelengths where the eye doesn’t want it.”
I agree. Maybe LEDs aren’t good at producing large amounts of light in the most desirable wavelengths for headlights.
Do they still offer “fog lights” that emit a yellowish light? Incandescents are good at those wavelengths.
Maybe headlights are one place where incandescents are the best choice.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.