technics

LEDs have become standard in many places inside motor vehicles. And in the future, they will also be encountered more frequently in headlamps. Above all, light-emitting diodes open up undreamt-of possibilities for designers. However, in terms of light and output alone, xenon in my opinion is the state of the art. Just one lamp per headlamp delivers high beams, low beams and cornering lights. Even special beam patterns can be achieved for highway driving, country roads, city driving and poor weather. Personally, I’m really impressed with their brightness and how uniformly they light up the road.

What’s more, xenon light, referred to by professionals as “discharge” or “high intensity discharge” (HID) light, saves energy. One headlamp requires only 35 watts, and slightly weaker systems need only 25. By way of comparison, halogen “guzzles” 55 watts. LED headlamps are in this range as well.

Xenon lamps are more expensive initially, this being due in part to the automatic range control and headlamp washer systems, which are required. In contrast, they generate virtually no costs in operation because the lamps usually last the entire life of a vehicle.