In vehicle lighting, what we are accustomed to today is the result of many years of technological advances in automotive lighting. For many decades, automotive lighting employed relatively simple incandescent technology. From open-flame lamps to high-tech arc discharge lighting, vehicle lighting has undergone dramatic improvements over time. Overall, these technological advancements have made driving a more pleasurable and safer experience.

When automobiles were first invented, forward lighting was as simple as a candle in a lantern. Lanterns rapidly evolved into acetylene gas headlamps using parabolic reflectors to project more light in front of the vehicle. Development of modern vehicle lighting began around 1908 with the use of electric bulbs in motor vehicles. To reduce the glare for oncoming automobiles, the driver could manually tilt the headlamp using a cable that extended to the drivers seat. By 1915, red rear lamps and yellow brake lights had been introduced.

Introduced in 1938, the incandescent sealed beam lamp was a major step forward in longer-life lighting. This new “sealed” lamp provided better protection of the filament and prevented the weather from damaging the lamp. Yet, despite this major improvement, the sealed beam remained an incandescent light source, subject to brightness and life limitations. Leaders in the lighting industry recognized these shortcomings and continued to seek a new light source that would provide improved forward lighting.

In 1962 the first halogen headlamp was introduced in Europe, followed in 1971 by the first worldwide-approved double filament halogen bulb, the H4. The introduction in 1978 of the first halogen sealed beam in the North American market significantly changed automotive forward lighting. Halogen technology replaced the duller and less efficient incandescent lamps and rapidly became the preferred light source as it produced a whiter light that allowed objects to be viewed closer to their true, natural color. When compared to the yellow cast of incandescent lights, drivers preferred the whiter, brighter light. As a further benefit, halogen lights also last far longer and provide more consistent performance under variable conditions.

In the quest to improve drivers' safety, enhance lighting performance and provide a light source that would last for the life of the vehicle, designers turned to high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting. First introduced in the European market in 1991, HID lighting made its debut in the North American market on the 1996 Lincoln Mark VIII.

HID was a breakthrough in automotive lighting technology. No longer employing a filament, HID bulbs generate light by creating and sustaining an electrical discharge between two electrodes in a small “arc tube.” The electrical discharge excites a mixture of xenon gas and mercury to form brilliant white light, much closer to natural sunlight than halogen lights. HID systems generate three times the light output of a halogen bulb while using less energy. Without a filament to degrade or break, HID light output is more constant over time and can last up to 10 times longer than today's standard halogen lamps. Providing enhanced peripheral vision and improved down-road illumination, HID is quickly becoming the light source of choice. As the technology matures and costs are reduced through wider adoption of the product, HID will make its way into mainstream vehicles.

With HID on the front of vehicles, designers were also interested in enhancing the look on the rear of the vehicle. To support the market demand for flexible lighting design, neon lamps, also a discharge light source, were first used in an automotive lighting application in 1994. Neon provided many benefits including enhanced styling flexibility and added safety. Studies showed that neon lamps lit up to 200 milliseconds (0.2 seconds) faster than conventional incandescent bulbs, providing drivers with 24 extra feet of stopping distance at 65 miles per hour. Amber neon signal lighting was first introduced on the BMW Z8 in the James Bond movie, “The World Is Not Enough.” While neon lighting has many benefits, use remains limited due to cost and the introduction of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

LEDs have been the light source of choice for automotive interior lighting applications for many years. LED technology has recently improved to the point where they are also being designed into exterior vehicle lighting applications. Primarily used in center high mounted stop lamps (CHMSLs) and rear signal lamps, LEDs continue to gain ground as the lumen output and the ability to manage the thermal properties of LEDs is enhanced. LEDs are available in numerous colors including amber, red, blue and white. Designers are especially excited about the prospect of using LEDs in automotive applications as they consume less power and offer styling flexibility not available with standard auxiliary light sources.

While HID and LEDs are being adopted by OEMs, the automotive aftermarket also has been a prime target market for new product innovations. In 1996, following the introduction of long life products, a new sealed beam was introduced - a product so advanced it provided three times the light and twice the life of a standard halogen sealed beam. This advanced sealed beam was unique because it was developed exclusively for the aftermarket consumer. Drivers now had the option of brighter light and longer life. In 1999, specially designed halogen lamps were introduced in an effort to provide the consumer with an HID-like look. These lamps provided consumers with the style of the most advanced lighting technology at a lower cost.

In 2001, HID will be available as an aftermarket product both in vehicle upgrade kits and in an auxiliary low beam lighting kit. Sylvania will be the first company to unveil an HID auxiliary low beam kit that is designed to complement a vehicle's existing headlamps. The auxiliary low beam lighting system offers a new performance standard, delivering more light down-road and to the roadsides. HID upgrade kits, which directly replace a vehicle's halogen headlights, will be available for specific vehicle models.

Research continues into the most efficient, reliable and cost-effective means of illuminating the road to ensure a safe environment for all drivers. Infrared and ultraviolet light may be the source of future lighting innovations. Laser technology as well as organic LEDs continue to provide researchers with opportunities for new automotive applications. As consumers become more aware of the benefits of advanced lighting technology, more and more automobiles will feature advanced lighting systems. The advances featured on concept cars of the future will eventually be available to consumers, both with the purchase of a new vehicle and as an aftermarket option.

Ted Hardenbergh is the aftermarket product manager for Osram Sylvania and is based at the company's global automotive headquarters in Hillsboro, N.H.

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