John Bullough (Lighting Scientist)

It's actually both kinds of headlights. Both the halogen headlights and the LED headlights have increased in their luminous intensity.

Headlights are getting brighter, they're getting smaller, and they're getting bluer. And all three of those things increase discomfort glare.

Headlights are getting brighter, they're getting smaller, and they're getting bluer. And all three of those things increase discomfort glare.

Headlights are getting brighter, they're getting smaller, and they're getting bluer. And all three of those things increase discomfort glare.

If we think about the reason we have headlights, they're not to create glare to other drivers. They're to help us see things along the road so that we can avoid colliding with those. As we've paid more attention to headlights and their ability to provide visibility, It's become clear that they don't always do the best job.

If we think about the reason we have headlights, they're not to create glare to other drivers. They're to help us see things along the road so that we can avoid colliding with those. As we've paid more attention to headlights and their ability to provide visibility, It's become clear that they don't always do the best job.

If we think about the reason we have headlights, they're not to create glare to other drivers. They're to help us see things along the road so that we can avoid colliding with those. As we've paid more attention to headlights and their ability to provide visibility, It's become clear that they don't always do the best job.

And so headlight intensities have actually been increasing in intensity, in part because of things like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's safety ratings that when they first started coming out about 10 years ago, were giving headlights pretty poor grades in terms of their ability to help us see things at night.

And so headlight intensities have actually been increasing in intensity, in part because of things like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's safety ratings that when they first started coming out about 10 years ago, were giving headlights pretty poor grades in terms of their ability to help us see things at night.

And so headlight intensities have actually been increasing in intensity, in part because of things like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's safety ratings that when they first started coming out about 10 years ago, were giving headlights pretty poor grades in terms of their ability to help us see things at night.

That's right. More than 90% of all new cars have LED headlights only. So halogen headlights are going to be going away pretty quickly. And LEDs are much more efficient than halogen headlights. So they use less energy and that corresponds to fewer vehicle emissions and things like that. That's a good thing. But because they're more efficient, LED headlights can actually end up having more light.

That's right. More than 90% of all new cars have LED headlights only. So halogen headlights are going to be going away pretty quickly. And LEDs are much more efficient than halogen headlights. So they use less energy and that corresponds to fewer vehicle emissions and things like that. That's a good thing. But because they're more efficient, LED headlights can actually end up having more light.

That's right. More than 90% of all new cars have LED headlights only. So halogen headlights are going to be going away pretty quickly. And LEDs are much more efficient than halogen headlights. So they use less energy and that corresponds to fewer vehicle emissions and things like that. That's a good thing. But because they're more efficient, LED headlights can actually end up having more light.

And some of that light actually ends up in other drivers eyes or in their rear view mirrors.

And some of that light actually ends up in other drivers eyes or in their rear view mirrors.

And some of that light actually ends up in other drivers eyes or in their rear view mirrors.

We're driving more pickup trucks and SUVs than we were in earlier years. And so headlights have gotten higher off the ground than they used to be.

We're driving more pickup trucks and SUVs than we were in earlier years. And so headlights have gotten higher off the ground than they used to be.

We're driving more pickup trucks and SUVs than we were in earlier years. And so headlights have gotten higher off the ground than they used to be.

And all the requirements for headlights are relative to the headlight itself. So that means headlights are pushing more light into the eyes of drivers, especially drivers who are driving passenger cars and sedans. Their eyes are lower to the ground and now they're looking at headlights that are higher mounted off the ground.