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Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

caranddriver.com

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Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#31

Lack of matrix headlights is a glaring omission on Teslas sold in Europe, too. Pretty much any other high-end car in Europe has them, at least as an option.

What are matrix headlights?

You're commenting on an article that is basically just a short description of matrix headlights asking what matrix headlights are.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#32

Lack of matrix headlights is a glaring omission on Teslas sold in Europe, too. Pretty much any other high-end car in Europe has them, at least as an option.

What are matrix headlights?

High beam lights which turn off in sections to not blind other drivers.

They're pretty neat! You can drive on a highway, have high beams lighting up signs but not dazzling other drivers.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#33
FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) are prescriptive, not descriptive; they're also really really slow to update them.

The difference between between FMVSS and UN/EU regulations could also be considered a regulatory moat. In today's globalized world, I can't imagine that the moat is worth it anymore.

(Disclaimer, I work for General Motors, this is strictly my own opinion)

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#34

Lack of matrix headlights is a glaring omission on Teslas sold in Europe, too. Pretty much any other high-end car in Europe has them, at least as an option.

What are matrix headlights?

Sometimes known as pixel lighting, matrix systems are based around a high-beam unit consisting of a cluster of LEDs (the Audi matrix system consists of up to 25 LEDs per high-beam unit), rather than a single high-beam bulb that you might find in a conventional headlight.

This allows you to block out certain portions of the beam so you don't blind other drivers as they approach.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#35
post #6

Even more idiotic is my truck. I put a camper on it. I can't drive it at night because the weight of the camper tilts the entire truck back just a bit so that the head lights are aimed right at driver's eyes even on the lowbeams. Everyone flashes me and gets pissed off. Hopefully Adaptive headlights account for things like this.

In my state, you would not pass the yearly safety inspection. Can't you just adjust the headlights?

Of course you would do the safety inspection without the trailer?

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#36
post #8

I installed the (OEM) European headlights on my car. It's, well, a night and day difference. It's been 8 years and no one has noticed.

Do you have inspections in your state?

Yes. Both when I lived in NY, and when I first moved to UT (since then, it's become emissions-only).

edit: Err, so I guess no, actually? But I think I answered what you mean, not what you said :)

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#37

I really hate led headlights here in USA, They are too bright and need to be banned. People using these should be jailed for endangering lives. I don't know why but This seems to be particularly common here on big pickup trucks, which is even worse because they hit you right in your eyes if you are driving a regular car due to height difference. Also, I've had adaptive headlights on my subaru forever.

what is with Americans and jumping up at just jailing people?

jesus christ you don't need to jail people because they used bright lights.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#38
I was not aware there were headlights that had a light pattern like that. Looks pretty cool.

Years ago (`70s-90`s) when I built custom cars it was a pretty huge deal when the rectangular headlamps were approved. It created new ways to style the front end of a car, but we all were jealous of what they were doing in Europe with headlamp designs.

The new LED headlamps offer way more styling opportunities and better lighting, but it's not surprising to learn we're still behind Europeans in regards to this.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#39
post #14

groups like Audi/Porsche/BMW have trouble bringing their fancy LED setups to America due to laws pertaining to high / low beams -- meanwhile every Jack and Jill on the road has glaringly illegal aftermarket Xenon bulb setups in refractor headlight housings rather than proper projectors, blinding the hell out of everyone on the road, and the police seem to do nothing about it. I mean, hey -- i'm usually happy about au…

re: "aftermarket xenon bulb setups" Is this still a big problem? While I would have agreed with you, say, back in the 2000s when the whole "import tuner" craze was in full swing, I don't think this is popular anymore. The car mod scene seems to be close to extinct now, with whats left being a lot less crazy than those in the past.

IMO it’s WORSE. The new craze are the LED light bars. I had one on my old truck for off-road use, but there are idiots that drive with them turned on driving down public roads. They’re so bright it can take 10+ seconds to see normally again.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#40

Lack of matrix headlights is a glaring omission on Teslas sold in Europe, too. Pretty much any other high-end car in Europe has them, at least as an option.

What are matrix headlights?

From the article:

Each of the 911's lighting units includes 84 individually controlled LEDs that allow the car to continuously morph the pattern of its beams. When a car approaches in the oncoming lane, the 911's headlights dim around it while leaving the rest of the pattern bright. The other driver doesn't get blinded, but you still have blazing lights on your side.

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