The Technological Revolution of Headlights
Headlights are one of the most overlooked safety features on a car. The technology behind these lights has come a long way.
Written by Ru Chen
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Headlights are great, but these
car parts
are getting even better. As projector headlights become more advanced, regulators are having trouble catching up to the headlights revolution. Some of these headlights shine
beams so bright
and have such high resolution that they can project graphics and even animations!How this car headlights revolution came to be
CNBC
reported on how headlights have become so high-tech, but first, what exactly are these high-tech headlights?According to
Power Bulbs
, reflector headlights have been used since the invention of electric headlights. They’re bulbs encased in a steel bowl. Over the decades, the reflector headlights received improvements. It was a slow and steady pace.
Bulbs at one point could not be replaced since they were sealed in. This changed in the 1980s when advances in technology made the bulbs replaceable.
As the superior projector headlights started becoming more popular, headlights technology improved rapidly.
Now, new LED tech can create arrays of tiny lights. These complex beam patterns, so-called adaptive driving beams, can illuminate an entire road at night without blinding any oncoming traffic.
Safer, more sophisticated, projector headlights are better in every way (except price—they are definitely pricier).
The most advanced headlights can display graphics and animations. Perhaps they could be used for displaying warnings or other important info in front of the driver.
Theoretically, this technology could lead to cars projecting an entire movie from their headlamps. Talk about a twist of a drive-in cinema.
Of course, with new tech comes needs for new regulations. What safety measures might need to be taken? That is a question federal regulators are asking these days.
Are projector headlights repairs expensive?
It depends on the type of bulb you are trying to repair or replace. If you have a burned-out halogen headlight, it will probably cost around $20 to fix. Totally doable.
If you’re replacing a xenon headlight, it can cost over $100 just to get the bulb itself. Pricey, but since xenon headlights tend to be long-lasting, a replacement once in a blue moon isn’t too bad.
However, if your headlight assembly has leaked or been damaged in an accident, that’s a different story. Repairs can easily cost more than $1,000!
How do you know if your insurance covers headlight repairs?
Not all car insurance covers headlights (or taillights) repairs.
Whether you get coverage depends on how your headlights or taillights were damaged, as well as what type of insurance coverage you have.
You can save a lot of money by finding the most affordable insurance for your car.
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