Different types of headlights used in vehicles

Automobiles have become a necessity rather than a luxury in today's world. Hence, it becomes essential to know about the features of the 4-wheeler you own – including the headlights! Many people are not aware that distinctive headlights are used in automobiles, all with different wavelengths and energy consumption rates.

We bring to you an informative account of various kinds of LED headlights used in cars generally and the technology behind it, including some of the best-led headlights in the market at present. 

1. Halogen headlights 

Very similar to the electric bulbs generally found in households, halogen bulbs make use of the halogen gas in place of tiny filaments to enhance their brightness.

These are among the most common forms of headlights as 80% of all the cars found on roads use halogen headlamps. They offer several advantages: cheap manufacturing, easy replacement, bright yellow-light emission, and a battery life of up to 1,000 hours.

However, they are not considered very efficient as the maximum amount of light is wasted in heat generation rather than light emission. They have a throw of light up to 100 meters. Alpha Rex headlights are such headlamps making use of the halogen headlights efficiently. 

2. Xenon headlights

These High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, called the Xenon headlights, use electronically charged xenon gas for light emission instead of any heated filaments. The color emitted is close to bluish-white, which is very similar to natural light.

Compared to the halogen headlamps, xenon headlights are much efficient and last longer, with an energy consumption of approximately 35 watts. Similar to the tube lights, these lights also take several minutes before lighting up to full brightness, which is why two different bulbs are added on both sides of the headlights. 

3. Bi-Xenon headlights 

Even though the name suggests 'two lamps,' the bi-xenon headlamps use one xenon lamp for both high and low beams, shaded and moved whenever a low beam is used. Such bi-xenon lamps are comparatively cheaper than standard xenon headlights as they occupy less space in the lamp unit. 

4. LED headlights 

The Light Emitting Diode, generally referred to as LED, has been used extensively over regular electric bulbs in households and headlights. Unlike electric bulbs, the LED light bulbs emit light due to moving electrons which makes the system quite simple and highly efficient.

The LED headlight bulbs are highly efficient and light up instantly for longer hours, so they are used widely. Such headlights are used in daytime running and taillights.

They are considered to be the best-LED headlight bulbs as they emit light closer to the color of daylight, and many manufacturers use them for both high and low beams. 

5. Digital LED headlights

These headlights enable the driver to drive even with the headlights turned up high. Depending upon the incoming traffic, these headlights are capable of shutting down specific areas of the light.

It has gained wide popularity as it prevents the driver from blinding other drivers on the road with an extremely bright light on a high beam. Another newly introduced technology is costly, so a minimal number of luxury car brands are currently using it. 

6. Laser headlights

As the name suggests, the laser headlights stimulate a gas using a laser beam, thus emitting a powerful bright light. The reason why laser headlamps are popularly used is that they are much smaller in size than the regular ones and can emit light to extreme lengths illuminating the road further ahead.

The major drawback of laser headlights is that the technology used is quite new and expensive. Hence, only certain luxury car brands are currently using laser headlamps. 

Some other additions  

1. Daytime running lights

the LED lights that remain to stay lit all the time when a car is on are referred to as the daytime running lights. Since it used LED bulbs, the energy consumption is almost negligible and increases the car's daytime visibility. As a standard feature on various vehicles, manufacturers provide such daytime running lights at low costs with unique design and style. 

2. Cornering lights

The lights that turn on as soon as the steering wheel turns are called the cornering lights. It has been introduced to illuminate the roadway before the car makes an actual turn, lighting up the area for clear visibility and avoiding accidents during the nighttime. The lights turn off automatically once the turn is made. They are added to the vehicle as main parts or as separate lamps.

3. Aftermarket headlights

the headlights purchased separately and are not assembled into the car are called the aftermarket headlights. Even though many people prefer buying such aftermarket headlights due to lower cost, they are not always efficient instead of the ones that come equipped with the automobile. 

4. Projector headlights

similar to the reflector headlights, projector headlights contain a light bulb embedded in a steel bowl added with mirrors and reflectors giving it a sleek and modern look. It also has a lens at the center that acts as a magnifying glass and enhances the light beam's brightness. 

Conclusion

Automotive Lighting Refined is an online automobile website majorly focusing on enhancing aftermarket products for cars and other vehicles. Ranging from HID to LED headlights, the website provides numerous car accessories to achieve ultimate customer satisfaction.