Research published by the Automobile Club of Southern California, affiliated with the American Automobile Association (AAA), found that halogen headlights — found in more than 80 percent of vehicles on the road today — do not provide enough illumination to easily spot obstacle at speeds as low as 40 mph.
The team measured the distances at which various headlights illuminated non-reflective objects on unlit roadways, using both low- and high-beam settings. The findings were compared against recommendations from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
“While high-beam settings on halogen headlights improved sight distances by 28 percent at the testing facility, in real-world conditions they may only provide enough light to safely stop at speeds of up to 48 mph, leaving drivers vulnerable at highway speeds,” the study found.
Additional testing using HID and LED headlights determined that both technologies illuminate dark roadways by an average of 25 percent further than halogen lamps, however they still may not perform well enough to effectively illuminate obstacles at speeds greater than 45 mph.
“Unlike the more advanced headlight technology available in European vehicles, current government regulations limit the light output for vehicles sold in the United States,” said the AAA’s managing director of engineering and repair, John Nielsen.
Part of the problem is said to be related to deteriorated plastic headlight lenses, which brings reduced light output and increased light scatter that can cause glare for other drivers.
The organization will be pushing the Department of Transportation and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to implement new rules that could give automakers more flexibility to change regulations and “keep up with changing technology.”
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