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Pros and Cons of Automobile Headlights

The car lamps are the best example of style and efficiency. Whenever the technology gets advanced, it gifts the best car lamps. Earlier halogen headlamps were commonly used, but now HID (High-Intensity Discharge) bulbs are over taking it. The LED bulbs are also around the corner to compete with the HID bulbs in the near future. It is an evolutionary process, and the automobile industry is working hard to invent bright and durable headlamps for the safe journey. Let's discuss the most commonly used headlights in the current automobiles.

Halogen bulbs: These are the commonly used light bulbs in the automobile industry. Halogen bulbs work on the incandescent phenomenon. When the electric current go through the high resistant tungsten metal filament, it heats up and emits light. However, the automobile industry has modified this concept by adding halogen gases for its successful use in vehicles. The halogen gas and tungsten undergoes a halogen cycle which deposits the evaporated tungsten back to the filament and keeps the glass clean. This whole process not only emits the bright light but also increase the life span of the halogen bulb. The major drawback of the halogen filament is that it wastes lots of energy in the form of heat. Furthermore, the high temperature causes tungsten filament to evaporate which decreases its efficiency. It also puts lots of pressure on the car battery and drains it quickly. The halogen bulbs are still in use due to excellent life span and cheap replacement.

Xenon headlights: These headlights are also known as HID (High Intensity Discharge) lights, and one of the efficient headlights. The HID bulb produces light when the high current passes through the arc and generates a high potential area. The gases and metal salts undergo a chemical reaction to produce plasma for the brighter light beams. Moreover, HID bulb consumes very less power. Xenon headlights have more life expectancy and generate stronger beam than halogen bulbs. However, it also has certain setbacks like the glare produced by the Xenon headlamp might be disturbing for the oncoming drivers, which increases the chances of accidents on the roads. It is very costly and difficult to install on the retro lamps. It requires installation of the HID kit before the bulb installation for flawless fitting.

LED lights: Light Emitting Diode based lights are a new concept. LED lights consume less energy as compared to other technologies. The light emitted by the LED lights fell between halogen and HID lamps. It is in developing stage and needs lots of improvement so that it can be used a headlamp. The connections are not strong enough to resist the heat of the LED bulbs. Moreover, these are quite costly.

Although, these bulbs are efficient enough to glow the road for the drivers, yet they have certain limitation either in their use or designs. Auto industry is striving hard to invent the best bulbs which will meet all the safety and efficiency requirements.


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