1889 Columbia electric cars to electric light for headlights and tail lights, so light was born. In the same year, the United States Electric Light Company will use parabolic mirrors to the car's headlights, side lights and tail lights. Mainly refers to the light car headlight assembly and rear lamp assembly, they are both features to ensure safe operation of vehicles, but also an indispensable accessories.

1. Car type and function of light

Divided according to use of car lights and signal lights two categories. Divided into light and outdoor lighting lamps and lighting within and outside lights that headlamps, front fog lights, license plate light, dome light inside the lighting means Peng, instrument lights. Signal is also divided into external and internal signal lights, outside lights that turn lights, brake lights, tail lights, showing the wide-lights, down lights, interior lights indicator refers to the dashboard, there are steering, engine oil pressure, charging system dynamic, closed tips and other instruments light.

Car headlights, also known as the headlights, there are two functions, one is light, one is decorated. Past and present, the main functions of headlamps lighting. In the future, I believe it will remain the primary function of lighting. But in recent years, the headlights have continued to transform appearance, and body inlay portfolio as a whole, more and more reveals its decorative effect. In the next few years, you may find that the inner structure of headlamps will also be a major technological revolution occurred, lamps will be fitted with "head" into "smart" light.

2. Related to the operational safety car lights

Car headlights, it is important to protect the safe operation of vehicle parts, one of the light shining headlights farther, the better the light distribution characteristics, the safety performance of vehicles running higher. With the development of automotive technology, car headlamps have changed a lot. In modern cars, in the past that may be loading and unloading of incandescent bulbs and incandescent headlamps are the vacuum has been eliminated, but instead, halogen headlamps, a few years swept the world effort to become the main national car headlights.

Lamps in the car, there is a mandatory inspection of the lighting outside lights and outside lights, because this is a key component of traffic safety. In addition to the license lights outside lighting, the main role is oriented to provide road lighting truck drivers, under certain circumstances can also play a role in the signal, such as flashing headlights when passing to show each other attention. External signal is to facilitate identification of other drivers and determine the contours of the car and set the car trend. Turn signal and brake lights which is a very important signal light, which for automotive safety is at stake. To further enhance security, in recent years have engaged a deputy car brake lights - high brake light, placed in the position after the wind shutters in order to attract people's attention.

Automotive lighting system focuses light headlights, the car-producing countries have their strict standards. Which are American-style with optical light distribution (SAE method) and the European light distribution (ECE way), the former is far from the light reflected by the mirror to the road, which is set before the bulb filament with Guangping blocked the lower part up to the beam by mirror reflection and then fired at the road. The similarity between the two beam method, the Europeans believe that the elimination of other stunning ECE way more effective. Car design has been in accordance with the relevant regulations and industry standards, full account of the requirements of illumination and light distribution, even before the factory tuned to ensure a rigorous standard lighting. Present a general increase in speed, for improving the brightness and color temperature headlamp, xenon lamp power is small because only 35 watts, brightness 50% higher than ordinary halogen lamps, color temperature to 6000K, close to the sun's light color, life and than halogen Light long, there have been numerous high-class cars with xenon lamps instead of halogen lamps.

Outside lights in the headlamps and the technical performance, manufacturers must follow the relevant laws and criteria. For example, standards for car show width light is indicative outline of the lamps, the car front and back of the tube with two lights, in front of the display width of the light color is white or orange, the back was red. Front turn signal light color is orange, the back light color is red or orange. Brake lights and tail lights must be red, white reversing lights. Front fog lamps to give the car drivers to see road use, use yellow lights, as a long wave of yellow fog penetration is better, then fog is used to give warning of his car, said in front of a car, be sure to red. According to the different uses of light have different power and importance, such as taillights, license plate light bulb is generally 5 to 8 watts, brake lights, turn signals, rear fog lamps and more is 21 watts, 50 watt halogen headlight beam beam 70 watts, 50 watts front fog lamps, etc., so the use of cars according to different uses of light have different light color and brightness, absolutely can not be confused.

As the light on an important role in vehicle safety, therefore, all countries have strict regulations. The lights to change the traditional way, first to study regulatory issues. To this end, Europe has organized a car manufacturer (eg BMW, Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen / Audi, Ford, Volvo, Renault, Peugeot, Citroen), lighting systems suppliers and lighting manufacturers to join in the work of the group research design to enable the lights to have more freedom, gradually becoming adaptive lighting, and to propose new legislation proposals. Currently, the company has been conducting tests on different samples, and some smart-like headlamps have been installed in the new car.

3. Halogen headlamps replacing the traditional incandescent headlamps

There are two sets of traditional filament lamps, respectively, far and near the beam injection. Much brighter beam, according farther, mainly for high speed; near the beam darker, illuminate the recent, mainly for the car will.  When to use much light or the manipulation of light chosen by motorists, and the headlights of the strength of each beam is not adjustable, the angle is in the process of installation on the adjustment better. With the speed of cars on the rise, lighting the traditional lamp has increasingly shown its shortcomings, in turn, will be cars, rain and fog days and traveling on the highway, two-beam headlights will not easily see the drivers road, tunnel vision, the other drivers are likely to cause glare.

The traditional lamp close by a coil of fine tungsten wire mounted on a light bulb filled with inert gas in the composition, when the current through the tungsten wire, it will burn up and issued incandescent light, the effect of very high temperature , tungsten evaporation of tungsten atoms in the state, over time, evaporation of the tungsten atoms will be more and more, burn more finer tungsten will eventually be blown, tungsten atoms deposited on the relatively cold glass bulb on the course of time there will be a shadow, cover light exposure, light intensity will be reduced. Electric optical engineers developed a halogen lamp for the above problem, this lamp is an inert gas inside the bulb into a small amount of iodine (chemical element iodine is the halogen elements), the tungsten evaporated from the filament atom and iodine atom encounter reactions tungsten iodide compounds generated when the iodide compound of a tungsten filament white-hot exposure (temperature above 1450 ℃), will revert to the decomposition of tungsten and iodine, tungsten filament to go back again, then re-enter the iodine gas. This endless cycle, the filament burns out almost no light bulbs will not be black. Therefore, halogen headlamps headlights than the traditional incandescent live longer, more brightness. Now the glass is quartz halogen lamp, also known as quartz halogen lamps, can withstand very high temperatures.

Mainly used for automobile halogen headlights, has a unique grading structure. There are two sets of each lamp filament, a filament is the main beam, issued for the light reflector by the lamp straight forward after the shot to go, this light source commonly known as "beam"; other group is the partial beam filament, issued to light shade to shade plate mirror block to the upper part, the light is reflected off the diffuse down to the ground, opposite to the car will not cause blinding drivers, this light source commonly known as "beam."

The current popular car headlight assembly, new built-in aerodynamic lamps, body shape and contour matching, so seamless and into the car. Meanwhile, the shade also made reforms, using the new condenser glass, can provide a wider field of view further, difficult to oncoming drivers cause glare, Japan Lexus sedan to the assembly of this headlamp.

4. Xenon lamp superior performance

Although the xenon lamp costs than halogen high, but because of superior performance, brightness, color temperature, dimming, and durable than halogen xenon lamp and so good, so more and more attention in the car, there has been increasing by more senior xenon lamp car use. Like ordinary light bulbs with halogen filament, but then there is no filament xenon lamp, xenon lamp and this is the most important difference between the traditional lamp. Xenon is the use of electrical discharge between two electrodes to produce luminous arc as arc welding light produced. High-voltage pulse added to the fully enclosed miniature quartz lamp (tube (between the metal electrode, motivating the material inside the bulb (xenon gas, a small amount of mercury vapor, metal halide (produced ionization in the arc light. This bright color temperature similar to sunlight, but with more green and blue components, so showing blue and white shade. This substantial increase in the shade of blue and white road signs and signs of brightness.

Xenon halogen lamp emitted flux is more than 2 times, while the efficiency of electrical energy into light than halogen lamps by 70% or more, so the Xenon lamps have relatively high energy density and light intensity, while the operating current is only half the halogen . Increase the brightness of the lights also effectively expand the car in front of the visual range, thus creating a safer driving conditions. Xenon lamp transformers and electronic control unit controls the arc discharge process to ensure the stability and continuity of light. The xenon lamp has no filament, and therefore will not produce filament-off and scrapped due to the problem of a much longer life than halogen lamps. According to reports, the equivalent of auto xenon lamp, average life cycle of the entire running time. More important point is that Xenon is not an instant off event of the failure, but rather a way out through the progressively darker, so that drivers can win in the night time driving, emergency pull over. Xenon also has the benefit under the right circumstances the installation does not produce unwanted glare, will not head to the car drivers cause interference.

Increased use of xenon lamp headlight assembly car shape design freedom, namely to improve the design of the car before the face to face arbitrary. Through the development of compact headlight assembly, and further improve the car's aerodynamic performance. Currently, in order to simplify the structure to reduce costs, some cars use four-light system xenon headlights with halogen mixed mode beam system with xenon lamps, halogen beam systems, give full play to their performance.

5. Not poor out of car lamp Chen

In recent years, the German company BMW and Bosch developed a newer hand headlamp - gas discharge lamp. Gas discharge lamp is a small quartz light bulbs, transformers and electronic controller, through the transformer step-up to the 0.5 to 12,000 volts of high voltage, small quartz bulb light up incentives, the brightness of light than it is now 2.5 times by halogen, issued bright colors and sunlight are very similar, but made light work of lights and reach the required temperature, power consumption is 35 watts, one third lower than the halogen lamp, very economical, very suitable for used car headlamps. At present, some high-class cars have been using a gas discharge lamp.

Toyota Auto Show in Detroit showing the new "hound." The most important feature is the variable type headlights AFS. In the use of low beam, the system allows the direction of the beam headlights under the steering wheel angle and vehicle speed control to automatically adjust and improve night driving situations such as when the visibility curve, which currently I am afraid that no precedent in the world .

AFS by the steering wheel angle sensor and the ABS speed sensor control before the light irradiation direction. At that time speed to 30km / h, the system is running, speed is less than 5km / h when it will stop. When the steering angle control is running above 12 °, 9 ° below the stop. Turn right, front right light beam maximum adjustment range of 15 °, left front light change; Instead, turn left, the left light beam maximum in the range of 5 ° adjustment, front right light unchanged.

6. The future of intelligent lighting system

90s in the 20th century, Europe has developed AFS headlamps lighting system, the Japanese developed ILS intelligent light system. In the AFS lighting system, each headlamp assembly with 8 reflector, in turn, high speeds and under different conditions such as rain and fog weather can adapt to a variety of controlled driving environment generated light patterns. But because of its large size, there is the limitation on the assembly and bulb replacement is not convenient, it caught on. The ILS is to automatically control the direction of light, ideal for the drivers to provide the beam pattern. This requires the introduction of microelectronic technology, you must load the advanced electronic control devices. Although current technology can not do this, but people predicted in the next few years, these technical problems will be resolved, intelligent lighting system will be gradually available.

Intelligent lighting system can make car headlight changes with real-time driving conditions change, there will be a 10 to 15 different beam headlights, the relative speed and the road and "adaptable."  For example, in the highway, cars in front of a large lantern lit the area is not wide, to a little further. When the vehicle driving in the corners on the outside of the vehicle to turn the brightness a little bigger, so that drivers see the situation turn, while the inside should be darker, as is not to the driver of the car will dazzle the opposite.

Intelligent lights lights is the current mainstream technology, another development, intelligent headlight system by microcomputer control, microcomputer from the car's electronic sensors to obtain information from the sensors to identify a variety of lighting conditions, speed sensor able to provide various intelligent lights kinds of data, auxiliary sensors for ambient lighting and visibility, road conditions, including dry, wet, fog, straight, curved, etc., can not only provide important data to the lighting system, but also for other electronic control systems such as ABS, ASR provide data to the driver to provide effective help. Intelligent lights and navigation system connected to various driving conditions can be expected to achieve a variety of light distribution, such as automatic dynamic beam height adjustment, can be rotated to the other side of the headlights, and the distribution can be used for different lighting adjust the reflector.

 There are currently engaged in the French out of a sample of components to install headlight bulbs 3 groups, where group 1 is active, the other 2 groups is fixed. Activities in part by computer manipulation of the accompanying changes in vehicle state flexibility. For example, when the steering wheel, there will be immediately proven vehicle to turn the sensor, the computer immediately after receiving information sent direct instruction activities within the group of lights headlamps, with the steering wheel angle to change the angle of light projection.

7. Car lamp modified fashion

Car lamp car styling has become an indispensable ornament, headlights like the eyes, play the role of finishing touch, often change the shape of a headlight of the car can be made considerably. Integral is currently popular car headlights portfolio, headlights, turn indicators, fog lamps (or a single list (such as combined; after the whole rear combination lamps, the tail lights, brake lights, reverse lights, turn after lights, fog lights (or a single list (such as combined. headlamps popular equilateral quadrilateral, rhombus, eyebrow and peanut shaped, fancy lights and shapes varied, as people, but after watching the Mercedes-Benz sedan most impressed that the car behind the lamps.

With the popularity of cars, modified cars have become popular fixtures, so the light conversion shops also came into being.  In the automotive supplies market, these stores are generally manufacturers of special stores.  Currently, the domestic passenger car models are related to modified taillights.  Diverse styles, different techniques have resulted in different effects and different price level. Lufthansa snow elegant style taillights, Magic color tail light carbon fiber, ultra-white crystal taillights noble, romantic blue taillight, taillights and other green and harmonious. Most people fully meet the pursuit of individual colors. Running up the street car, modified was more common in white snow, ultra-white crystal tail lights taillights and Lufthansa.

Lighting components manufacturing and installation of all standards, the EU countries all automotive lighting and signaling devices must meet the ECE-R48-01 and other requirements of the Act, North America (U.S. and Canada) are used FVMSS standards (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard ) 108, which is equivalent to the European regulations on the content. Our reference to the Act also has its own national standards. These regulations determine the use of automotive lighting components, lighting, distance and range, the installation location and color. For management, the traffic control department of the car lights in the power to do a mandatory requirement, headlight wattage can not exceed 55 to 60 watts. Wattage lights and colors were also limited, the owner of the light bulb upgrade to the attention of compliance provisions in this regard, otherwise they will be leaving the lights irregularities, but off the vehicle examined.

If the power light in line with national standards, the owner of the models consider only the problem of light, in general, most of Japan, No. headlights H4, European cars are H1, H7, the U.S. cars HB3, HB4, HB5, the owner Under the lights of glass in the corner to find the light of the model, as long as careful control on the line to buy the appropriate lights. Sometimes different brands of lights power though the same, but because of the use of different materials, different gases with power generation, very different light effects. Such as xenon lamp, color temperature, life expectancy is several times the ordinary halogen, and energy consumption is only half of halogen lamps.

Signal the appearance of the owners also have more color choices. Since the traffic control department under the turn signal must be yellow, sometimes resulting in the overall design turn signal inconsistent with the body, the design will now have fully considered this point, the upper part of the silver lamp, lower compared to yellow, when When the lights do not light, seamless design with the body, when you need lights glow, then issued a yellow light. As for the interior lighting can change colors for the cold, but the lights must be adapted to the specific provisions modified according to the national store.

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