Car headlight test. Disadvantages of LED headlights

It is generally accepted that xenon headlights are by definition better than halogen headlights and are always inferior. This doesn't always happen. Much depends not so much on the light source, but on the design of the headlight. And since many models are offered with different light sources, we have compiled our own unique rating of cars - based on light efficiency.

Let's see if it's worth paying extra for more advanced optics.

At the Dmitrovsky Automotive Test Site, we collected 11 popular cars that will begin to form the light rating of the Za Rulem magazine. In the future, we will add other models to this list so that our readers have the opportunity to take into account this very important factor in our latitudes when choosing a new car.

Of the top five bestsellers, four models were included in our test. brought for testing in two versions - with reflector headlights and with lensed ones, which are equipped with expensive versions. On Vesta All versions have the same lighting fixtures. Hyundai Creta and Solaris are presented with lensed optics, which are standard for cars in the maximum configuration (we will definitely check the simpler versions next time using the same method and include them in a single rating, comparing them with the current results). They decided not to take the Granta, another model from the top 5: a restyled version is about to appear at dealers. This means it is the first candidate for the next light test.

There is little help from the fog lights. In both the sedan and the hatchback, they illuminate the area between the bumper and the beginning of the low beam spot well, but the roadsides remain in the shadows.

By the way, mi-DO deserves one more minus. No other car in our test delivered as much. The wells on the back of the headlights are too deep and difficult to maneuver into them by hand. In addition, the developers used non-standard lamp fixation. None of the test group was able to quickly change the lamps to mi-DO - we had to tinker.

There are two types of headlights. Most configurations include reflector optics for the H4 lamp. The Prestige and Premium versions are equipped with advanced lighting technology with an HB3 lamp and lens. In it, a curtain with an electric drive is responsible for changing the low beam to high beam. In addition, an additional H7 lamp turns on when the steering wheel is turned, illuminating the maneuvering area. For a budget car this is a very good set!

First, we send the basic version with halogen lights for measurements. With low beam it “reached” up to 90 meters, with high beam - up to 260 meters. Not the worst result for a simple filling.

How will headlights with lenses respond? In the low beam mode, the superiority is very slight (+ 10 m relative to H4 lamps), the high beam turned out to be “further” by 70 meters (330 m). The beam is wider and brighter, so there is a benefit from overpaying.

Fog lights help little in dark turns, but the additional section of the “expensive” headlight worked beyond all praise. It turns on at speeds of up to 100 km/h, and this limit is unreasonably high: what is the use of this section on the highway? But in yards it’s easier to maneuver with it.

Conclusion: the headlights of more expensive Rios shine better, which means a higher level of active safety. However, you should always have spare HB3 lamps with you - they may not be available at a roadside store. Changing lamps is easy; any driver can do it.

For Solaris and Creta, as for the related Kia Rio, it is offered: with H4 lamps for simple configurations and HB3 with a curtain for maximum configurations. The difference between them is visible in the example of the same Rio. So we went a different route. Taking a couple of Hyundai models equipped with halogen headlights with lenses, let's find out whether there is a fundamental difference in light between a sedan and a crossover of the same price category.

The range reached parity. illuminated 130 meters with low beam, Creta - 120 meters. For high beam, the result was 250 and 270 meters, respectively. At the same time, the crossover’s beam is brighter, more uniform and wider. Bright fog lights almost do not cover the roadside, but the situation is corrected by static illumination of corners with a separate H7 lamp. Like the Kia, it works at speeds of up to 100 km/h.

Overall, I liked Creta’s lighting a little better. We don’t discount the higher seating position, which improves visibility. It is clear that the cars are different in purpose, but if you choose based on the quality of road lighting, then it is better to pay money for a crossover.

U Vesta The head light does not change from configuration to configuration. Except that cars in luxury versions are equipped with additional fog lights. The H7 lamps are responsible for the low beam, and the H1 lamps for the high beam. The type as such does not affect the efficiency of light, and different lamps are not very convenient. When identical light sources are installed in both sections, the extinguished low beam can be quickly restored by replacing the burnt out high beam lamp. You can't do that with Vesta.

I've had it for almost three years and I think that good headlights are one of its main advantages. The test confirmed my subjective opinion. Using low beam, Vesta “reached” the cone, which stood at the 130-meter mark! And the distant one dried up only at the 290-meter pole. For measurements, we took not an editorial sedan, the lenses of which bear the mark of 65 thousand kilometers traveled, but a fresh one, whose headlights are working at full capacity.

The fog lights were disappointing: they only shine forward, and rather weakly. According to preliminary information, on the upcoming Vesta Sport, VAZ has implemented the function of illuminating corners with their help. If the headlights in the bumper remain the same, there will be no benefit from the innovation. It is clear that this is cheaper than introducing an additional section into the headlight unit, as on Kia and Hyundai - but this solution brings real benefits, as the “Koreans” confirmed.

And now you can’t say: “But Vesta is cheaper.” In simple ones - yes, cheaper. But for the price of Vesta in top versions you can buy a Hyundai Solaris with advanced headlights. So think about it.

100 km/h - only with long range!

The average driver reaction time is about 0.8 seconds. It takes about another 0.3 seconds for the brake system to operate (selecting idle pedal, increasing pressure in the line, adding pads). Total - more than a second! At a speed of 100 km/h, the car manages to travel almost 28 meters in a second. Another 40–45 meters will take direct braking on dry asphalt. In total, it will take at least 70 meters to stop completely.

If we take into account that the most distant point illuminated by low beam headlights is on the right side of the road, and not in front of the driver’s eyes (not in the traffic lane), we can draw an unambiguous conclusion: driving with low beam headlights on unlit highways at speeds over 100 km / h in the vast majority of cases is unsafe! - and change to the next vehicle in a timely manner to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers.

The undisputed leader of the test is the Skoda Octavia with LED headlights. An example of a successful union of modern technologies and excellent work of engineers. The Octavia with halogens was an unpleasant surprise - its low beam is too “low”.

Of the more affordable and mass-produced cars, the headlights of the Vesta SW Cross shine the best - in terms of light quality, it is even better than the top models of Kia and Hyundai. On the last lines of our rating are Datsun mi-DO and Renault Kaptur with halogen headlights.

Take a look at the “” section of the “Behind the Wheel” online store: we’ll help you choose the best options!

Last fall, we pitted cars with halogen, xenon and LED lighting technology in a head-to-head duel (ZR, 2015, No. 10) - and found out that the capabilities of LED headlights, which manufacturers and marketers sing their praises for, are slightly exaggerated. However, technology does not stand still: LEDs are our bright future! Therefore, we drove a dozen of the cars with LED headlights available on the Russian market to the test site and gave them a “dark” ride. The motley company - from the most popular and relatively affordable cars to the downright expensive ones - provided plenty of food for thought.

Class inequality

The difference in the design complexity of the headlights and their control systems turned out to be so significant that we divided the test participants into several conditional groups. Owners of the simplest systems are Hyundai Tucson, Nissan X‑Trail and Toyota Land Cruiser 200. Don’t be surprised that the “two hundredth” with a starting price of 3.8 million rubles ended up in this company - in terms of technical sophistication, Toyota is at the level of Hyundai and Nissan cars . Nissan and Toyota have full LED headlights and automatic high beam control. Hyundai does not have it, and only low beam is made using LED technology. But he can additionally highlight turns, which both “Japanese” are not trained to do.

The second group was formed by the Infiniti Q50, Jaguar XF and Cadillac Escalade ESV, which have an impressive arsenal to combat the “forces of darkness”: they have full LED headlights, an automatic light control system and a cornering light function.

We included the Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Volvo XC90 and Lexus LX in the highest category. In addition to the functions listed above, they have so-called matrix headlights, which can dim the light segmentally so as not to blind drivers of oncoming and passing cars - and theoretically should be head and shoulders above other test participants in the quality of road lighting.

There is no generally accepted methodology for comparative testing of modern lighting technology. Therefore, as in the case of automatic braking systems (ZR, 2015, No. 6), we developed our own test program, including a set of various exercises.

The tests were divided into three stages. First - static tests. At certain points, we measure the illumination in low and high beam modes with a lux meter, and also evaluate the operation of the side and cornering headlights (if equipped). Then we dynamically check how clearly and quickly the automatic switching on and off of the high beams functions, and also how the matrix technology works. For dessert - a regulated test route on public roads, where, in contrast to the refined conditions of the test site, there are other cars, road signs, lighting masts and other features that confuse the control electronics.

Due to significant technical differences and a wide range of prices, we did not rank the test participants, but we identified the best in individual disciplines.

Night all-around: test program exercises

1. “I’m looking far away”

The asphalt area is marked with cones into squares with a side of 10 m. Using an Ecolight SFAT luxmeter. 412125.002 we measure the illumination at each cone at a height of 0.1 m from the asphalt. Based on the data obtained, we build models of high and low beam beams. They show the distribution of light and its range.

2. “Eyes run wild”

In the second static exercise, we measure the width of the beam and evaluate the effectiveness of the corner illumination mode (if available). The cone is installed 20 m in front of the car bumper. The pedestrian approaches him from the right at a right angle to the standing car and stops at the driver’s command at the border of the visibility zone. The result is the distance in meters from the person to the cone. If the car has a turning or side light, then two results are given - without it and with it.

3. “In the oncoming lane”

The most obvious test in traffic is oncoming traffic. We record how many meters away the automation, having noticed an approaching car, will switch the high beam to low beam or, in the case of matrix headlights, begin to darken individual segments.

4. “Let’s catch up”

Let's complicate the previous test a little and expose the camera not to bright headlights, but to rear marker lights. Let's see when the electronic mind will stop blinding the overtaken car.

5. “Attention - overtaking”

The test car must quickly reduce the brightness of the light, recognizing the car ahead of it. Since both test participants are in motion, the result is presented not in meters, but in seconds.

6. "Reaction speed"

Essentially, we are simulating a situation where an oncoming car jumps out around a turn or after an ascent. A car is driving in pitch darkness, and a car standing on the opposite side of the road at a certain moment (the distance between the cars is about 200 m) turns on its headlights. The task of the electronics is still the same - to switch to low beam as quickly as possible. We record the reaction time in seconds.

Night vigil

In complete darkness, we proceed to measure the illumination with an impartial lux meter. The eyes stop seeing the object when the illumination drops below five lux. But at the border of the light beam, beyond which pitch darkness visually begins, the device still records one lux - this is the value we will take as the boundary value. It can take a very long time for illumination to drop to zero - tens of meters! - but this is already a background value that can be neglected.

With low beam, everything seems logical at first. The simple Nissan X‑Trail didn’t even reach 40 m with LED headlights, but the advanced Audi Q7 and Mercedes-Benz C‑Class went as far as 130 m. More than a threefold difference! Lexus LX and Jaguar XF demonstrated very modest abilities, clearly not consistent with their sophisticated lighting technology: 40 and 65 m, respectively. In addition, Nissan and Lexus are distinguished by a very sharp transition from light to darkness - there is a feeling of a curtain falling. Driving with such headlights is uncomfortable.

Measuring the limits of the high beam is exhausting work. Of course, some test subjects are forced to move almost 300 m away with a lux meter. We expected to see the brightest light on cars with advanced matrix headlights, but the Land Cruiser 200 unexpectedly took the lead with all-LED, but relatively simple lighting technology. Its result is 290 m. The “Japanese”, however, mercilessly “hits” the oncoming lane, while rivals with a slightly worse range (Volvo, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Audi) retain intelligent light distribution. However, if there is an automatic light control function, this Toyota feature should not be considered a serious drawback. As expected, the Hyundai with halogen high-beam headlights turned out to be the worst.

The control electronics receives commands from the turn signal or steering angle sensor and issues commands to the actuators. We measure the width of the light beam 20 m from the car - at this distance, across the “look” of the headlights, a person walks from the axis of symmetry of the car to the side of the road. And we measure the point at which it will become invisible. Volvo showed the best result: the driver sees a pedestrian standing 27.6 m to the right of the car. Moreover, it produced this result without using any additional functions: we carried out measurements in static conditions, when the XC90’s headlight turning mechanism is not active (this, for example, can be done by Infiniti), and the side illumination of the fog lamp is useless because it illuminates only a small space under the bumper . Volvo main headlights shine wide!

But Hyundai, on the contrary, demonstrated how effective the additional section of side lighting is. With its help, he repeated the leader's result - but to do this, you already need to turn the steering wheel for the side lighting to turn on. The others were seriously behind in this exercise. The best pursuers are the Infiniti Q50 (19.8m with cornering headlights) and Jaguar XF (19.2m with cornering lights). But both at the same time turned out to be the worst with the wheels in a straight position: 10.2 and 9.9 m, respectively.

By the way, the number of LED sources in the headlight does not directly affect the lighting efficiency. For example, Mercedes-Benz and Audi performed almost equally in static disciplines, while the C‑Class has only eight LEDs per headlight, and in the Q7 three dozen are responsible for high beam alone.

Go!

In dynamic tests, we evaluated the operation of automatic switching from high beam to low beam and back. Almost all cars performed equally well when passing oncoming traffic, when a bright head light hit the camera lens: they did not experience any difficulties and instantly changed the mode (except, of course, Hyundai, which is deprived of this function). But when it was necessary to focus on the dimmer rear dimensions, some malfunctioned. Nissan X‑Trail, even in ideal testing conditions, where there are no additional light sources on special roads that would interfere with the correct operation of the automation, recognized them every other time.

The Infiniti Q50 and Cadillac Escalade consistently lag when switching from high beam to low beam when another vehicle is passing them - we measured four and three seconds of delay, respectively! All this time, the driver who overtook them suffers from the bright light of the headlights reflected in the mirrors. We have no other comments.

The following people took part in the test:

Halogen headlights

Hella Double Beam FF Long Range
Hella Double Beam FF Close Range
Hella Mega Beam FF Off-Road illumination
Wesem LPR7.33911
Wesem LOR4.39011
Sirius NS-1108

LED headlights

Hella Power Beam 3000 Close Range Heavy Duty
Hella Power Beam 3000 Long Range Heavy Duty
Wesem LED2F.47600
OffRoad-Led 24W
OffRoad-Led 20W60
OffRoad-Led 27W
FTKit YF-0627-27W
ProSvet Owl-LH 80/4
JGL JG-W080-S

LED work lights, test.

Hella Power Beam 3000 Close Range Heavy Duty – LED work light, test

DESIGN FEATURES

The diffuser of this headlight is smooth, the LEDs are recessed into wells, which are reflectors. Light distribution is carried out by a system of reflectors

The Hella Power Beam 3000 Close Range Heavy Duty work light is completely sealed and can be used in any environment. The body is composite, the front part is secured with bolts with an internal “star”, which allows, if necessary, to replace the diffuser or optical element. The point where the power wires exit the housing is insulated with a rubber seal.

TEST RESULTS

As can be seen from the table, the maximum illumination of the Hella Power Beam 3000 Close Range Heavy Duty work light is in the near zone with a uniform fall into the distance. That is, the headlight fully corresponds to its name: low beam. The visible illumination range is not very large, about 15 meters. If you strain too hard, you can discern something at a greater distance, up to 20 meters, but it is very uncomfortable. This is due to the very bright illumination of the main area, due to which the far area with less illumination simply appears dark. This is indirectly confirmed by the instruments: at the far point the illumination indicator was 49 lux, which some halogen headlights produced at maximum.

The width of the light spot is good: up to 15 meters of excellent visibility at its widest point. It turns out that the Hella Power Beam 3000 Close Range Heavy Duty headlight provides visibility at a distance of about 15 meters, and the light spot starts directly from the place where the headlight is installed, and the width is also about 15 meters. The only thing that spoils the picture, almost fatally, is the strong brightness in the center in the zone from the central to the nearest point, practically blinding the driver. If it were redistributed to the sides and into the distance, there would be no equal to this headlight in terms of lighting quality.

Hella Power Beam 3000 Close Range Heavy Duty LED Work Light Box.

Hella Power Beam 3000 Long Range Heavy Duty – LED work light, test

DESIGN FEATURES

Lighters - 16 LEDs, declared power - 41 W, declared light intensity - 2700 lumens. The case material is a metal alloy with a lining made of impact-resistant plastic. The diffuser is impact-resistant transparent plastic.

The body shape is rectangular, dimensions (HxWxD) 100x110x110 mm.

The diffuser of this headlight is corrugated, so the LEDs and reflector themselves are not visible. Most likely, both the reflector and the diffuser are responsible for light distribution.

The Hella Power Beam 3000 Long Range Heavy Duty headlight is completely sealed and can be used in any conditions. The body is composite, the front part is secured with bolts with an internal “star”, which allows, if necessary, to replace the diffuser or optical element. The point where the power wires exit the housing is insulated with a rubber seal.

We received a headlight in the Heavy Duty version for testing, that is, it is designed for extremely difficult operating conditions. The Heavy Duty version differs from other modifications of this model in its massive bracket, which ensures rigid fastening of the headlight to the base, which means minimizing the effects of shaking and vibration.

Adjustment is available in two planes: horizontal - 360 degrees, vertical - ± 45 degrees. To change the tilt or rotation of the headlight, you will have to loosen the corresponding bolts. The head of the vertical bolt securing the headlight to the base (car body) is not fixed, so you will have to use two wrenches when tightening the nut. The side bolts are tightened with one wrench.

The lens is marked TOP, indicating the top of the headlight. The bracket can be repositioned to fit either under or above the headlight.

The power wires end in a mating part of a sealed two-pin Deutsch type connector.

TEST RESULTS

As can be seen from the table, the maximum illumination of the Hella Power Beam 3000 Long Range Heavy Duty work light is in the center, with the far point being illuminated better than the near one. That is, the headlight fully corresponds to its name: high beam. The apparent illumination range is large, but not prohibitive: some halogen headlights had more. Most likely this is due to the very bright illumination of the main area, due to which the far area with less illumination simply appears dark.

At the same time, the illumination levels at the side points are not the greatest. And here the point is not that the maximum width is located further than the points, as was the case with Hella Double Beam FF Long Range. No, this headlight really has a rather narrow (relative to halogen headlights) illumination area. It turns out that the headlight provides visibility at a distance of about 25 meters, and the light spot begins at a distance of 1.5 m from the place where the headlight is installed, the initial two-meter zone is illuminated to a width of about 4 meters, then the width increases to 10 meters, narrowing again at a distance of 11 meters from the headlight to 7 meters. Moreover, everything outside this zone is also illuminated, and even quite well if you look from the inside. But a bright spot of light in front of the eyes does not allow one to discern details, and the area outside the brightly lit spot seems immersed in darkness.

The area illuminated by the Hella Double Beam FF Long Range work light is characterized by very high brightness, long length and variable width. The maximum illumination occurs in the longitudinal central zone; the side zone appears dim against its background, although the actual brightness of the lighting there is also quite high.

Wesem LED2F.47600 – LED work light, test

DESIGN FEATURES

Lighters - 6 LEDs, declared power - 22 W, declared light intensity - 2000 lumens. Materials: radiator - metal alloy, optical element frame - impact-resistant plastic, diffuser - impact-resistant transparent plastic.

The case shape is square, dimensions (HxWxD) 100x100x74 mm.

The Wesem LED2F.47600 headlight is completely sealed and can be used in any conditions. The body is composite, the frame is attached to the body with screws, which allows, if necessary, to replace the diffuser or optical element. The point where the supply wires exit the housing is filled with compound from the inside.

The bracket is simple U-shaped, allowing adjustment in two planes: in the horizontal - 360 degrees, in the vertical - ± 90 degrees. The rotary bolt is installed through plastic spacers, which ensure reliable fixation of the headlight and, at the same time, allow you to change the direction of the glow without loosening the bolt. To change the inclination, the corresponding bolt will have to be loosened. The vertical bolt is locked and does not turn when the nut is tightened; the horizontal bolt will require the use of two wrenches.

On the Wesem LED2F.47600 lens there is a TOP marking, indicating the top of the headlight, but the mounting location of the bracket is stationary and allows you to install the headlight only with the bracket down.

TEST RESULTS

As can be seen from the table, the maximum illumination of the Wesem LED2F.47600 work light is in the near zone with a uniform but rather sharp drop into the distance. That is, the headlight corresponds to a light distribution characterized as low beam. The visible illumination range is very small, about 10 meters. And in this case, bright illumination near the headlight is only partially to blame: the instrument showed illumination at the far point of only 16.8 lumens, which is 21 times lower than illumination near and more than three times lower than illumination at the center. Accordingly, eyes blinded by the bright light near the headlight do not distinguish anything in the distance and to the sides.

The width of the light spot on the Wesem LED2F.47600 is small, about 10 meters. At the same time, at the left point the illumination is 8 times higher than at the right: the light spot is clearly shifted to the left, which is clearly visible in the photo. In this case, the maximum illumination is oriented along the central axis.

It turns out that the headlight provides visibility at a distance of about 10 meters, and the light spot starts directly from the place where the headlight is installed, and the illuminated area looks like a triangle with rounded sides and having about 9 meters at the base.

The illuminated area of the Wesem LED2F.47600 is small, triangular in shape, with obvious overexposure in the near-headlight area.

OffRoad-Led 24W – LED work light, test

DESIGN FEATURES

Lighters - 8 LEDs, declared power - 24 W, declared light intensity - 2150 lumens. Materials: radiator - metal alloy, optical element mounting strips - plastic, diffuser - impact-resistant transparent plastic.

The body shape is rectangular, dimensions (HxWxD) 720x140x58 mm.

The diffuser of this headlight is smooth, the LEDs are recessed into wells, which are reflectors of complex shape. Light distribution is carried out by a system of reflectors.

The OffRoad-Led 24W headlight is completely sealed and can be used in any conditions. The body is composite, the optical element is attached to the body using fastening strips with screws through a rubber gasket, which allows, if necessary, to replace the optical element assembly (the reflector and diffuser are a non-separable structure). The point where the supply wires exit the housing is filled with compound from the inside.

The bracket is simple U-shaped, allowing adjustment in two planes: horizontally - 360 degrees, vertically - ± 45 degrees. The rotary bolt is installed through a plastic spacer, which ensures reliable fixation of the headlight and, at the same time, allows you to change the direction of the glow without loosening the bolt. To change the inclination, the corresponding bolt will have to be loosened. The vertical bolt is locked and does not turn when the nut is tightened; the horizontal bolt will require the use of two wrenches. The OffRoad-Led 24W bracket is attached to the body through rubber gaskets designed to reduce the effect of vibration and shaking on the headlight.

There is a TOP marking on the headlight, the mounting location of the bracket is fixed, so the headlight can only be installed with the bracket down.

The power wires are “bare”; the choice of connector is at the discretion of the owner, which is justified in most cases.

TEST RESULTS

As can be seen from the table, the maximum illumination of the OffRoad-Led 24W work light is in the near zone with a uniform but rather sharp drop into the distance. That is, the headlight corresponds to a light distribution characterized as low beam. The visible illumination range is small, about 10 meters. And in this case, bright illumination near the headlight is not to blame: the instrument showed illumination at the far point of only 13.2 lumens, which is 25 times lower than illumination near. At the right and left measurement points the indicators are low, which proves a sharp drop in illumination to the sides.

It turns out that the OffRoad-Led 24W headlight provides visibility at a distance of about 10 meters, with the light spot starting directly from the place where the headlight is installed, and the width of the illuminated area is about 8 meters: a uniformly illuminated area of a small area.

Design features of the LED work light OffRoad-Led 24W.

Light spot of the LED work headlight OffRoad-Led 24W.

OffRoad-Led 27W – LED work light, test

DESIGN FEATURES

Lighters - 9 LEDs, declared power - 27 W, declared light intensity - 2150 lumens. Materials: radiator and optical element frame - metal alloy, diffuser - impact-resistant glass.

The case shape is square, dimensions (HxWxD) 110x110x65 mm.

The diffuser of this headlight is corrugated, so the LEDs and reflector themselves are not visible.

The OffRoad-Led 27W headlight is completely sealed and can be used in any conditions. The body is composite, the frame is attached to the body with screws, which allows, if necessary, to replace the diffuser or optical element. The point where the power wires exit the housing is insulated with a rubber seal.

The bracket is simple U-shaped, allowing adjustment in two planes: horizontally - 360 degrees, vertically - ± 45 degrees. The rotary bolt is installed through a plastic spacer, which ensures reliable fixation of the headlight and, at the same time, allows you to change the direction of the glow without loosening the bolt. To change the inclination, the corresponding bolt will have to be loosened. The vertical bolt is locked and does not turn when the nut is tightened; the horizontal bolt will require the use of two wrenches. The Off-Road Led 27W bracket is attached to the body through rubber gaskets designed to reduce the effect of vibration and shaking on the headlight.

The power wires are “bare”; the choice of connector is at the discretion of the owner, which is justified in most cases.

TEST RESULTS

As can be seen from the table, the maximum illumination of the OffRoad-Led 27W work light is in the near zone with a uniform fall into the distance. That is, the headlight corresponds to a light distribution characterized as low beam. The maximum illumination value is not very large, part of the light was spent on illumination to the sides, which led to good results: the visible illumination range was approximately 15 meters, and the width was about 12 meters. At the same time, the maximum illuminated area in front of the headlight does not dazzle much and visibility over the entire area is clear.

It turns out that the OffRoad-Led 27W headlight provides visibility at a distance of about 15 meters, with the light spot starting directly from the place where the headlight is installed, and the width of the illuminated area is about 12 meters: the illuminated area is of medium length, but of good width, and is characterized by clear visibility over the entire area. But, if you work a little more on the light distribution, the visible area can be significantly increased. And then the headlight will fully comply with the criteria for work light headlights.

Design features of the LED work light OffRoad-Led 27W.

Light spot of LED work headlight OffRoad-Led 27W.

OffRoad-Led 20W60 – LED work light, test

DESIGN FEATURES

Lighters - 2 LEDs, declared power - 20 W, declared light intensity - 1720 lumens. Materials: radiator and optical element frame - metal alloy, cover glass - impact-resistant plastic.

The body shape is rectangular, dimensions (HxWxD) 60x118x89 mm.

The lenses of this headlight are corrugated, individual for each LED and additionally protected by a cover glass, so the LEDs and reflectors themselves are not visible.

The OffRoad-Led 20W60 headlight is completely sealed and can be used in any conditions. The body is composite, the frame is attached to the body with screws, which allows, if necessary, to replace the cover glass, diffusers or optical elements. The point where the supply wires exit from the housing is an insulated and sealed threaded gland filled with sealant.

The bracket is an inclined mechanism with a step lock, allowing adjustment in two planes: in the horizontal - 360 degrees, in the vertical - ± 25 degrees. To change the tilt and rotation, the bracket bolt (the head of which is fixed) will have to be loosened. The bracket at the point of contact with the mounting base (body) is elastic in order to reduce the effect of vibration and shaking on the headlight.

There is no TOP marking on the headlight, but there is the name of the manufacturer and series, which indirectly indicates where the top of the headlight is. Since the mounting location of the bracket is fixed, the headlight can only be installed with the bracket facing down.

OffRoad-Led 20W60 power cables end in a mating part of a sealed two-pin Deutsch type connector. The kit also includes the connector and wires. If desired, you can remove them by integrating your own wires into the connector or extend the wires offered by the manufacturer.

TEST RESULTS

As can be seen from the table, the maximum illumination of the OffRoad-Led 20W60 work light is in the near zone with a uniform fall into the distance. That is, the headlight corresponds to a light distribution characterized as low beam. The visible illumination range is not very large, about 12 meters. Most likely this is due to very bright illumination of the main area, especially its front part, due to which the far area with less illumination simply appears dark. This is indirectly confirmed by the instruments: at the far point the illumination indicator is almost 35 lux, which for some halogen headlights was a good result even at the central point.

The width of the OffRoad-Led 20W60 light spot is about 6 meters, and the outer meter zones on each side look quite dim - the result of the concentration of light in the central part of the spot. At the right and left measurement points the indicators are very low, which proves a sharp drop in illumination to the sides. It turns out that the headlight provides visibility at a distance of about 12 meters, and the light spot starts directly from the place where the headlight is installed, and the width of the illuminated area is about 6 meters: a narrow beam with a not very long illumination range.

Design features of the LED work light OffRoad-Led 20W60.

Light spot of the LED work headlight OffRoad-Led 20W60.

FTKit YF-0627-27W – LED work light, test

DESIGN FEATURES

Lighters - 9 LEDs: 8 located in a circle, the ninth in the center, declared power - 27 W. Materials: body - metal alloy, diffuser - impact-resistant plastic.

The shape of the case is round, dimensions (LxD) 215x50 (excluding visor) mm.

The FTKit YF-0627-27W headlight is sealed, the place where the wires exit the housing is insulated with a rubber seal, the housing is non-separable.

Since there is no marking indicating the top of the headlight, it appears that the headlight can be mounted either up or down with the bracket. But, still, it is better to use the classic method: with the bracket down. Yes, just in case.

The power wires in the FTKit YF-0627-27W are “bare”; the choice of connector is at the discretion of the owner, which is justified in most cases.

TEST RESULTS

As can be seen from the table, the maximum illumination of the FTKit YF-0627-27W work light is in the near zone with a uniform fall into the distance. That is, the headlight corresponds to a light distribution characterized as low beam. The visible illumination range is quite large, about 16 meters, but with a very interesting “blue” effect at a distance of 6 meters from the headlight. Plus the far range is very narrow. It is not very wide anyway, but if in the front part (up to the central point of the cross) visibility is approximately 10 meters, then after the center the width drops to 6 and then to three meters.

It turns out that the FTKit YF-0627-27W headlight provides visibility at a distance of about 16 meters, and the light spot starts right from the place where the headlight is installed, and the width of the illuminated area, no more than 9 meters, initially drops to three meters in the distance: this is approximately how the standard low beam shines cars.

ProSvet Owl-LH 80/4 – LED work light, test

DESIGN FEATURES

Lighters - 4 LEDs, declared power - 40 W, declared light intensity - 3000 lumens. Materials: radiator - metal alloy, frame of the optical element, which goes into the sides of the case - impact-resistant plastic, cover glass - impact-resistant plastic.

The body shape is rectangular, dimensions (HxWxD) 63x160x78 mm.

The lenses of the ProSvet Owl-LH 80/4 headlight are corrugated, individual for each LED and additionally protected by a cover glass, so the LEDs and reflectors themselves are not visible.

The tightness declared by the manufacturer is IP68. The body is composite, the frame is attached to the body with screws, which allows, if necessary, to replace the cover glass, diffusers or optical elements. The place where the power wires exit the housing is not visible.

The bracket is a U-shaped bar attached to the sides of the headlight. It is fastened on each side with two screws: one central, acting as an axis, the second - guiding and fixing. As a result, the headlight can be tilted 270 degrees and swiveled 360 degrees. You can install a headlight without the ability to turn.

There is no TOP marking on the headlight, but there is the name of the manufacturer and series, which indirectly indicates where the top of the headlight is. Since the mounting location of the bracket is fixed, the ProSvet Owl-LH 80/4 headlight can only be installed with the bracket down.

The power wires end in a mating part of a sealed two-pin SuperSeal connector. The kit also includes the connector and wires. If desired, you can remove them by integrating your own wires into the connector or extend the wires offered by the manufacturer.

TEST RESULTS

As can be seen from the table, the maximum illumination of the ProSvet Owl-LH 80/4 work light is in the near zone with a uniform fall into the distance. That is, the headlight corresponds to a light distribution characterized as low beam. The visible illumination range is not bad, over 13 meters, but could be even greater if the maximum light were redistributed forward.

The light spot width in ProSvet Owl-LH 80/4 is floating. In the front zone, the visible width is more than 10 meters, which is very good, but then it falls, and it looks like an arc bordering the illuminated zone along the far border.

JGL JG-W080-S – LED work light, test

DESIGN FEATURES

Lighters - 8 LEDs arranged in a circle, declared power - 24 W. Materials: body - metal alloy, diffuser - impact-resistant plastic.

The shape of the case is round, dimensions (LxD) 215x35 (excluding visor) mm.

The diffuser of this headlight is made in a very original way: the main area is corrugated, and above the LEDs it is smooth with a lens in the center of each “window”. Why the corrugated part is needed is unclear. Perhaps this is a design element. Reflectors are not visible, and the lenses are apparently responsible for light distribution.

The JGL JG-W080-S headlight is sealed, the place where the wires exit the housing is insulated with a rubber seal, the housing is non-separable.

The bracket is simple U-shaped, allowing adjustment in two planes: horizontally - 360 degrees, vertically - 180 degrees. To change the tilt and rotation, the corresponding bolts will have to be loosened. The vertical bolt is locked and does not turn when the nut is tightened; the horizontal bolt will require the use of two wrenches.

The kit also includes a stationary mount: two “ears” that are attached to the back of the headlight with screws and allow installation on the base using bolts. But here the adjustment is not available.

The power wires in the JGL JG-W080-S are “bare”; the choice of connector is at the discretion of the owner, which is justified in most cases.

TEST RESULTS

As can be seen from the table, the maximum illumination of the JGL JG-W080-S work light is in the near zone with a gradual decrease into the distance. The maximum value is not the greatest, but there is no glare effect, due to which the visible illumination range is quite large, almost 20 meters. But otherwise, everything is not so rosy: the width of the light spot barely reaches 8 meters, and the blue reflection in the area of the central point distorts colors and worsens contrast.

It turns out that the JGL JG-W080-S headlight provides visibility at a distance of about 13 meters, and the light spot starts directly from the place where the headlight is installed, and the width of the illuminated area is no more than 8 meters. The illumination over the area is quite uniform. Developers need to think about increasing the width while maintaining uniformity of lighting and, of course, eliminating that blue spot that causes eye fatigue.

LED Work Light Test Result Table

	Illumination in lux
	Farthest point	Near point	Left point	Right point
Hella Power Beam 3000 Long Range Heavy Duty
Hella Power Beam 3000 Close Range Heavy Duty
OffRoad-Led 20W60


Wesem LED2F.47600
FTKit YF-0627-27W

ProSvet Owl-LH 80/4

CONCLUSIONS

Halogen headlights are generally dimmer than LED headlights, but this is not a disadvantage in practice. The distribution of light over the illuminated area is much more important. Thus, the Hella Mega Beam FF Off-Road illumination headlight, without striking with exorbitant illumination values at points, is generally the most comfortable for use precisely due to its uniformity. With halogen headlights, manufacturers are still somehow working in this direction, but LED work light headlights, without exception, suffer from incorrect light distribution, reducing the advantages of high brightness of the light source to almost zero. It would seem that the Hella Power Beam 3000 Close Range Heavy Duty shines very well, but the center still dazzles, and after a short time of working in such lighting, the eyes become very tired. Also psychologically oppressive is the sharp cut-off line of LED headlights - subconsciously you feel that there is only an illuminated piece, behind it there is emptiness.

And most manufacturers of “working light” headlights do not seem to fully understand its tasks. Therefore, instead of a uniformly illuminated area, we get something like low beam, then illuminated triangles with maximum brightness in the zone closest to us, or spotlights. For use as work lights from the participants in our test we can recommend

Hella Mega Beam FF Off-Road illumination
Hella Double Beam FF Long Range
Hella Double Beam FF Close Range
Wesem LOR4.39011

As you can see, these are work lights with halogen lamps. It is very difficult to give any recommendations regarding LEDs. Yes, they are much brighter. But at the same time, the light distribution even of Hella products, which carefully approaches this parameter, is, alas, still far from ideal. With caution, we can recommend the Hella Power Beam 3000 Close Range Heavy Duty, ProSvet Owl-LH 80/4 and Off-Road Led 27W headlights. The second and third headlights provide a slightly smaller area of coverage compared to the first, but there is no strong overexposure in the central area. And the price is almost eight times lower. All other headlights, in our opinion, are not work lights at all.

If we take into account the cost, then in terms of price/quality ratio it is best to buy 6 Hella Mega Beam FF Off-Road illumination headlights (1500 rubles/piece = 9000 rubles) and use them to illuminate the entire space on the sides and rear of the car, and put one on the front or two Hella Double Beam FF Long Range headlights (RUB 1,600/piece).

Or (a more budget option) take 8 Wesem LOR4.39011 headlights (850 RUR/piece = 6800 RUR) and install two forward in high beam mode, and two back and four on the sides in low beam mode. The quality of lighting will be slightly worse, but the price will be lower.

If you want LEDs, then on the sides you can install 5 OffRoad-Led 27W (2200 RUR/piece = 13200 RUR), and at the back - two ProSvet Owl-LH 80/4 headlights (4500 RUR/piece = 9000 RUR .)

Thank you for your assistance in preparing the test and providing samples to the following companies:

Products of the companies "ProSvet" and JGL - http://magazin4x4.ru.

Incandescent headlights are a thing of the past. Today there are several types of light sources. Is there a big difference between them and what are the advantages of each?

Headlights can be tested in laboratory conditions. For example, in a photometric tunnel. Based on the results of such a test, you can obtain an expert opinion on light distribution, lighting distance and dispersion of light rays. All results will be measured in quantities such as lumens, luxes, kelvins: only lighting engineers will be able to understand these data. The average driver can only shake his head meaningfully. Therefore, we decided not to engage in laboratory tests, but to get out into the field to conduct practical tests.

We assessed the quality of headlights through the eyes of the driver. The tested cars were placed in real and equal conditions: the road, various objects at a certain distance from the car and the natural absence of other lighting. In addition, we tested the headlights not only statically, but also dynamically, when other lighting factors appear, such as, for example, annoying trembling of the boundaries of the headlights when driving over bumps. We also dynamically assessed the quality of lighting around corners of various steepnesses, and did not make allowances for standard headlights with “stationary” lenses. With regard to active headlights, we examined their “intelligence”: for example, the ability to quickly automatically switch from high to low beam and the efficiency of “looking” into turns, etc. We also appreciated the design of modern lighting fixtures and the brightness of daytime running lights. The car received additional points for adaptive functions of brake lights: for example, for the ability to signal emergency braking when ABS is activated. Ultimately, we will be able to report the results of the practical headlight test in a language that most people can understand.

10 cars took part in our test, with whose help we were able to find answers to the questions posed. These cars feature all possible modern lighting systems: halogen, xenon and LED. LED optics have finally gone beyond the premium class: along with the Audi A7, BMW 6 Series and Mercedes CLS, the Seat Leon, a representative of the people's compact class, “looks” at the road with the cold light of numerous LED elements.

Many experts believe that LED headlights will gradually replace their xenon “colleagues”. However, for quite a long time, headlights with halogen lamps will remain standard equipment for most cars, especially cheap ones. But headlights with lamps with traditional filaments (as a source of high and low beam) have long been a thing of the past. To understand why this happened, we included a vintage Mercedes 170 V Universal in the test: using this 70-year-old oldtimer as an example, we will see the progress made by automotive lighting devices. Its 6-volt bulbs shine with yellow light, which is enough to illuminate a couple of meters of the road in front of the radiator grille.

How we tested and what we evaluated

Go to category illumination refers to the quality of road illumination with low and high beam headlights. Lighting was assessed both statically and dynamically, when driving fast on an unlit road. The following evaluation criteria were used: subjective impression of brightness, range, uniformity and color (shade) of lighting. At intersections and sections of the road with roundabouts, we additionally assessed the quality of the turn trajectory lighting function (if available).

Visibility- a more complex category that describes the qualities of front and rear optics when viewed from drivers of other vehicles. Here we assessed the quality of the system for automatically switching from high to low beam, the visibility of the turn signal in the rear lights when the brake signal is turned on, and the function of the adaptive brake signal. In addition, the light from the headlights was assessed from the point of view of drivers of passing and oncoming cars for the presence of a blinding effect or a too diffuse beam.

In category comfort Scores for the overall impression of interior lighting are summarized: mandatory and decorative. In particular, we assessed the quality of light from the ceiling lamps, the illumination of the glove box and trunk.

Review of modern lighting technology

Light sources with electric incandescent lamps appeared on cars in 1913. Since then they have continuously developed. In 1924, double-filament incandescent lamps were created, and 38 years later the first halogen light bulb for auxiliary headlights was introduced. Halogen headlights produce much more light, especially the H4 dual filament bulbs. They have been installed in main headlights since 1971, and are still very popular. Halogen lamps H1, H3, H7, H9, H11 and HB3 each have one filament filament. Therefore, the headlight needs two such bulbs: for low beam and high beam. Halogen lamps can withstand high temperatures, produce powerful light and shine further. But xenon (gas discharge) lamps are even better. They are ignited by a very high voltage, there is no thread or spiral in them: an electric arc burns between the electrodes in a flask filled with xenon gas. The service life of xenon lamps is very long. But light emitting diodes (LEDs) are designed to last the life of the car. Diodes are semiconductors in which electric current is converted directly into light radiation. In car headlights, LEDs are used in large groups and controlled electronically.

Double strand

Halogen

Xenon

LED

Bright and bright future

LED headlight technology has seen tremendous progress since its introduction in automobiles. Audi is conducting research into LED lasers for taillights. According to the idea, one small LED should produce enough light that drivers of cars behind could be guided by. An LED laser can also shine on the road, for example, drawing a red stop line on the asphalt, thereby warning the other driver to maintain a safe distance. In case of rain or fog, instead of a line, a triangle is projected onto the road: when the laser is projected onto the water suspension and drops, they begin to glow, which other drivers pay attention to.

Another technology being developed by Audi, BMW and Mercedes is called OLED. These are "organic light-emitting diodes". The possibility of this lighting technology was demonstrated on the Audi concept (see photo above): a large panel was placed on the rear door, following the shape of the body and filled with countless OLEDs. In essence, such a panel, which Audi calls a "swarm", is a video screen capable of displaying simple graphics. The swarm screen is capable of transmitting much more visual signals than conventional taillights.

Mercedes will soon demonstrate the advanced technology. The new S-Class will be a car without light bulbs. Its lighting equipment will consist of 190 LEDs, which will be responsible for all lighting functions. The adaptive LED headlights of the Mercedes S-Class will have an anti-dazzle function when the high beam is always on; this technology is currently only available for xenon headlights. The rear lights will also be adaptive, the brightness and nature of their glow will change depending on the speed and driving conditions. When necessary, the S-Class tail lights will attract more attention from other drivers without irritating the eyes or causing blinding.

Oldtimer light

Low power (38 hp), low on-board voltage (6 volts) and poor lighting (45 watts from lamps with two filaments). The headlights are separate, one bulb serves for low beam and (when the second thread lights up) high beam. This is the appearance of the Mercedes 170 V produced in 1949. The low beam range barely reaches 50 meters, the light brightness is 22 lux. For comparison, here are the data of the modern Mercedes CLS: its headlights produce 514 lux, that is, 23 times more light. The old-timer high beam is characterized by 137 lux. The high beam in retro Mercedes is turned on not by the steering column lever, but by a button in the floor. Lamps with two filaments served as the only source of light from 1924 to 1971. Then halogen lamps appeared, and in 1991 xenon auto lamps were introduced.

Audi A7 Sportback: keeps its eyes on the road

The R8 sports car was the first Audi to offer LED headlights. And then similar lighting equipment appeared in other models, as in our A7 Sportback. So what are we dealing with? Low beam is a cool white shade. The illumination near is very good. On the right (that is, along the side of the road) there is much more light. However, a stuffed deer located on the left side of the road at a distance of 100 m from the car is clearly visible in the headlights. However, immediately behind him is darkness. People's figures are clearly visible only thanks to reflective vests.

The automatic system that switches the lights from high to low works flawlessly: oncoming drivers have almost no risk of being blinded. Sometimes the high beams turn off late, slow to react to oncoming traffic. Unlike standard bi-xenon headlights, Audi LED optics do not provide an adaptive function that directs the light flux in the direction the steering wheel is turned. This is an omission: BMW and Mercedes LED headlights have this function and better illuminate the winding road in the darkness. However, the Audi A7 illuminates turns at intersections well: the auxiliary light is bright and has a fairly long range.

The design of Audi's LED technology is very good. The red signals of the rear lights are decorated with thin bright stripes, and the license plate illumination is super bright thanks to LEDs. However, the middle brake light shines and blinks during emergency braking too brightly and strongly. The daytime running lights are bright and aggressive, dimming when the turn signal comes on.

Excellent marks for interior lighting: LED light does its job perfectly here too.

Additional payment for LED headlights: €2278

Car cost: from €48.900

BMW 6 Coupé: perfect lighting

The light flux is concentrated on the roadway. Moreover, it is aimed very precisely and low: the crown of the trees is not illuminated, oncoming drivers are not blinded. LED taillights, brake lights are very bright

The photo shows that the low beam headlights of the BMW 6 Series are not as bright as those of the Audi. But the lag is insignificant. The light beam is asymmetrical, but concentrated more on the road than on the roadside. The light distribution is perfect: there are no spots or unnecessary scattering. Drivers of passing cars immediately notice the powerful, but not blinding, light flux. In addition, all potholes or obstacles on the road are best seen in the headlights of the BMW 6 Series.

The BMW high beam perfectly illuminates the highway, illuminating several hundred meters in front of the car. The automation that switches the light from high to low deserves high marks: it thinks better than a human. The camera recognizes light from oncoming cars, red lights of passing cars, road lighting and always controls the headlight mode accurately. Cornering lighting is also perfectly implemented: any driver will be happy with such a “lighting assistant”.

The wide dual strips of the taillights shine powerfully without causing any irritation to the eyes. The design of the rear optics is easily recognizable as BMW. The same can be said about the headlights: they inherited the running lights in the form of rings, with LED “eyebrows” located above them. The interior is beautifully lit and decorated with soft, noble lighting; the entrance to the salon is well illuminated. It’s a pity, but for some reason the ceiling lamps, glove box and trunk lighting are equipped with incandescent lamps.

Additional payment for LED headlights: €2200

Car cost: from €90.513

Dacia Duster: simple but bright

The Romanian SUV, like the Russian Renault Duster, does not provide a choice: it is equipped only with halogen headlights. Thanks to the high mounting position of the headlights and large round sections, the Duster has good illumination. Its lighting devices use H7 lamps (one each for low and high beam), instead of the universal H4 lamps, which have two filaments.

The Duster has so-called free-form headlights (FF, a parabolic reflector of an arbitrary configuration is created, and then the location of the lamp is calculated on the computer and the shape of the reflector is specified), but it is calculated perfectly. Light with a slight yellowish tint. Animals and many, but not all, obstacles are caught in the light beam. The illumination range is good. It can be seen that some of the light is directed upward, but this does not bother oncoming drivers. But road signs and billboards are well illuminated. No distracting glare was detected. You have to take care of the comfort of drivers of oncoming cars yourself: you have to switch the lights from high to low manually.

The rest of the Duster's lighting fixtures are also organized in the old fashioned way: the rear lights, including the brake light sections, are equipped with incandescent lamps. There is a reversing light on the right rear and a fog light on the left.

The interior lighting is a bit gloomy. The ceiling lamp shines dimly, there is dim lighting on the navigator's side, it is better to look into the trunk with a flashlight. But the glove box is well lit.

Additional charge for halogen: No

Car cost: from $19,600

Jaguar XJ: a real cat has better vision

Cats see well in the dark. But this "cat" is an exception. At least for a luxury car, the Jaguar XJ doesn't have very good lighting. The low beams don't go as far as other cars in this class, but deer and road signs are well illuminated. The cut-off line is very clear. The high beam illuminates a long distance, its beam is flat and low. The high to low switching system works well.

You can save on an additional cornering lamp. On the one hand, it works perfectly: the light illuminates the road when turning, but this is of little use to the driver. The entire illuminated area is hidden behind the side mirrors. On bad roads, the xenon light often shakes. Also annoying is the turning trajectory lighting system, which turns on additional lighting at the slightest deviation of the steering wheel.

Jaguar XJ can only boast of the design of the rear lights. The large curves of the LED lights rise gracefully up the rear fenders. In front, everything is simple: a bi-xenon lamp spotlight and a round cell with a turn signal. The daytime running light strip doesn't have a distinctive style. But the interior is memorable for its real light show. Unfortunately, the illumination of the side ventilation deflectors is reflected in the side mirrors, which is a little annoying. The interior lighting is based on incandescent lamps, but we expected to see LEDs.

Extra charge for bi-xenon: No

Car cost: from €80.320

Lexus GS: light and shadow

Lexus was also early to introduce LED technology in the headlights. The LS600h, launched in mid-2007, was the world's first car to feature LED cornering lights. Today, even the smaller GS features LED headlights. Moreover, they are bifunctional: one super-powerful, but economical LED is responsible for the low and high beam. However, the low beam is disappointing. It is not deep enough, not very bright and not as uniform as that of German competitors.

Obstacles and animals are visible at a distance of 100 meters, but their illumination could be better. The driver notices high-mounted road signs later than with other LED headlights. Lexus headlights are bluer, not like daylight. The high beam is very powerful, but its shade is cold, which in practice impairs visibility.

The driving path lighting system works very well. The headlights provide subtle yet effective illumination on a winding road and really help you see the road better. In Lexus headlights, the turn signals are lit by incandescent lamps, which is quite unexpected: it is not clear why they would mix light bulbs and LEDs. Moreover, LEDs are economical, and this is important for hybrid cars, and light up tens of times faster.

It's funny, but the interior lighting (even in the glove compartment) uses very bright and very high-tech LEDs. Overall, Lexus gets top marks for interior lighting.

Extra charge for bi-xenon and LED: No

Car cost: from €70.500

Mercedes CLS: light look

Mercedes sees great potential in LED optics and is offering full LED optics for the first time in the CLS. On the previous page we were already able to examine this complex technique in detail. The CLS's headlights shine higher than those of the BMW 6 Series, but the illumination level is no better. In addition, the lighting area is not very uniform. The low beam illumination boundary forms a very clear cut-off transition at a distance of about 100 meters. At highway speeds, the CLS headlights focus their light beam straight ahead, further illuminating busy lanes with pleasant white light.

The system of automatic switching from high to low has proven itself very well. When entering an unlit section of the road, the car gently turns on the high beams and brings the brightness to the maximum level in a few seconds. The automation reacts to oncoming traffic with a slight delay, so drivers may be blinded for a couple of seconds. And when the CLS warms up with oncoming traffic, the high beams do not turn on immediately; sometimes you even want to turn them on manually. When changing the direction of movement, the work of the adaptive light is barely noticeable, but nevertheless there is an effect. The beams of light accurately and quickly illuminate the turning path - this is very convenient on an unlit, winding road.

The taillights on the CLS look striking, with the turn indicators in the center. The intensity of the lights and brake lights is well adjusted, and the emergency braking signal is perfectly recognizable.

The Mercedes interior is lit very pleasantly and comfortably. There are beautiful lamps on the ceiling, and separate reading lamps are installed in the salon mirror. The interior decorative lighting is amazing.

Additional charge for LED: €2249

Car cost: from €75.635

Mini: low-blind "Englishman"

Technological progress makes it possible to introduce innovative solutions into the most popular products. For example, xenon headlights are available for most C-Class cars, including the Mini Cooper. True, for an additional fee. But is it worth spending money on xenon headlights? Yes. With xenon optics, the Mini driver sees further, better and more. The area near the car is especially well lit. However, the greater the distance, the less light there is from the Mini's headlights. The high beam is directed a little high, but the illumination distance is good.

The test Mini was equipped with an adaptive light system designed to direct the headlight beams following the turn of the steering wheel. The surcharge for this is €950 - we do not recommend spending money on ordering this option. When approaching a trajectory, the deviation of the headlight beams is clearly visible, but it occurs with a delay. In addition, subjectively, the headlights do not seem to penetrate very far into the turn. On an uneven road, shaking is transmitted to the headlights, so the lighting area of the front of the Mini begins to noticeably “shudder”. Unfortunately, some of the light rays hit the eyes of oncoming drivers.

Laconic, slender trapezoid taillights and big-eyed headlights make the non-miniature Countryman instantly recognizable as a Mini brand car. From a technical point of view, round headlights optimize the amount of light they emit.

There is practically no lighting in the trunk: there is only one dim lamp installed here. But the backlight in the front row is good, making it convenient to read books and look at maps. There are general lighting spots for the front and rear rows. Decorative lighting (€170) adds a cozy touch to the interior by illuminating the door panels, B-pillars and center console. Moreover, you can switch between 12 shades of light.

Extra charge for bi-xenon: €690

Car cost: from €25.159

Opel Insignia Sports Tourer: light show with lightning

The top version of xenon headlights for the Opel Insignia is called AFL and has an adaptive function. To ensure that the driver knows and remembers what he paid the extra €1,250 for, the beams of these headlights put on a real light show right after switching on: the system performs a self-test, directing the beams of light in all possible directions. However, the quality of road lighting does not leave much to be desired. The low-beam beams of the Insignia's headlights hit far, a little high, and the road is well illuminated. The high beam is also excellent and very long-range, although it is overly concentrated in the middle of the road.

The high to low switching system is slow. The automation waits until the light of the oncoming car is directly ahead (i.e., on winding roads you have to wait a long time for the response), then it hesitates for a couple of seconds and finally turns off the high beam. The driver of the oncoming car manages to blink his high beams a couple of times.

But the system that directs the headlight beams in the direction of the turn works too actively and too hard. Xenon spotlights tirelessly comb the road with light, the light beams actively shudder and constantly adjust their direction. The turns are illuminated superbly - we don’t argue, but such flickering gets boring after 20 minutes.

The function of alerting other drivers about emergency braking should be optimized: the blinking of the brake lights is too soft. The orange turn signals are drowned in the powerful red glow of the brake lights. The LED center brake light comes on much faster than the main incandescent tail lights. The glove compartment of the Opel Insignia is illuminated better and brighter than in other cars.

The low beam lighting in the area in front of the car is excellent, the light does not scatter to the sides. The headlights seem cold and could shine further. Tail lights with “special effects” in the form of cute LED strips

Does not work! How sad! This was my first impression of VW's DLA (Dynamic Light Assist) system. But then we solved the problem. The fact is that on our VW CC the DLA system was turned off and the lighting mode was activated for left-hand traffic for traveling in England.

This once again proves how complex and smart the lighting devices of modern cars have become. Adaptive xenon optics optimize the light beam based on speed and driving conditions. Automation is capable of not only switching from high beam to low beam, but also, under certain conditions, does not turn off the high beam, but excludes oncoming or passing vehicles from the lighting sector. Thus, car drivers are not dazzled (although the high beams in the VW CC are on). The system produces an impressive operating effect and responds promptly to the appearance of other machines in the lighting sector.

The headlights themselves shine widely, but not too far. In addition, on potholes the boundaries of the lighting zone shake. The taillights look chic and serious, somewhat reminiscent of special signals. The “spot” daytime running lights also look great, perfectly emphasizing the luxury nature of the VW CC and breaking the connection with the classic Passat.

The interior is more modestly lit in this regard. Simple ceiling lamps and a dark glove box are reminders of this sedan's humble origins. The brake lights are also reflected in the rearview mirror.

Supplement for adaption. bi-xenon:$1235

Car cost: from $36,955

Seat Leon: illumination in Spanish

The Spanish subsidiary of the VW concern, Seat, was ahead of the best-selling Golf and the noble Audi A3, being the first to acquire and introduce fully LED headlights into its affordable car. Yes, the Leon hatchback is the first in the C-Class to be equipped with innovative headlights. Has the Spanish car become a guinea pig? Perhaps, but the experiment was a success! Its LED headlights are as bright as xenon headlights, maybe even better. The road is flooded with light, and its shade is pleasant and soft, almost like daylight. The low beam illumination boundary is very clear, all rays are evenly directed towards the road and roadsides.

Also, the system for automatically turning off and turning on the high beams is in no way inferior to its counterparts in expensive cars. It works flawlessly. In addition, through the settings menu you can adjust its sensitivity. Already at an average level of sensitivity, the Seat Leon's LED high beam prevents the drivers of other cars from being dazzled.

And the design of the new optics was a success. The front and rear headlights are distinguished by the sharp angles at which the LED filaments intersect. At night, the Seat Leon looks like a car several classes higher. During emergency braking, not only the brake lights begin to blink, the hazard lights also turn on, which helps to attract the attention of drivers of cars behind.

The Leon's interior lighting is ordinary - there's no other way to put it. The instrument lighting is good, there are 4 reading lamps, the glove compartment is well lit.

The on-board computer menu has many settings for the lighting system. To understand some of them you have to look at the instructions

RESULT

Ten new cars and one old timer: an antique Mercedes 170V demonstrates the advantages of modern lighting technology. Even cars with halogen headlights, like the Dacia Duster, are not much inferior to cars with xenon headlights in terms of road illumination. From a subjective point of view, LED headlights are very good. They often illuminate the road better than xenon optics. The advantage of LED headlights lies mainly in the more pleasant daytime tint of the light emitted. We found much more differences in the smart technologies introduced into light optics. Adaptive systems from Audi, BMW and Mercedes turned out to be very convincing and useful. VW's dynamic light control also works well, although the interior lighting of the stylish CC is a bit too masculine-looking. Jaguar and Lexus were disappointing, they both should think about their own “enlightenment”.

Typically, the automatic high beam control mode is indicated on the panel by a separate indicator.

PLast fall, we competed in a head-to-head duel between cars and halogen,xenon and LED lighting technology (ZR, 2015, No. 11) - and found that the capabilities of LED headlights, which manufacturers and marketers sing their praises, are slightly exaggerated. However, technology does not stand still: LEDs are our bright future! Therefore, we drove a dozen cars with LED headlights to the test site and gave them a “dark” ride. The motley company - from the most popular and relatively affordable cars to the downright expensive ones - provided plenty of food for thought.

Class inequality

Only Volvo offers a wide range of headlight settings. In particular, the driver has the opportunity to choose the speed at which the transition from low beam to high beam and vice versa occurs.

The difference in the design complexity of the headlights and their control systems turned out to be so significant that we divided the test participants into several conditional groups. Owners of the simplest systems are Hyundai Tucson, Nissan X‑Trail and Toyota Land Cruiser 200. Nissan and Toyota have full LED headlights and an automatic high beam control system. Hyundai does not have it, and only low beam is made using LED technology. But he can additionally highlight turns, which both “Japanese” are not trained to do.

There is no generally accepted methodology for comparative testing of modern lighting technology. Therefore, as in the case with, we have developed our own test program, including a set of various exercises.

The tests were divided into three stages. For starters, static tests. At certain points, we measure the illumination in low and high beam modes with a lux meter, and also evaluate the operation of the side and cornering headlights (if equipped). Then we dynamically check how clearly and quickly the automatic switching on and off of the high beams functions, and also how the matrix technology works. For dessert - a regulated test route on public roads, where, in contrast to the refined conditions of the test site, there are other cars, road signs, lighting masts and other features that confuse the control electronics.

Due to significant technical differences and a wide range of prices, we did not rank the test participants, but we identified the best in individual disciplines.

Night vigil

In complete darkness, we proceed to measure the illumination with an impartial lux meter. The eyes stop seeing the object when the illumination drops below five lux. But at the border of the light beam, beyond which pitch darkness visually begins, the device still records one lux - this is the value we will take as the boundary value. It can take a very long time for illumination to drop to zero – tens of meters! – but this is already a background value that can be neglected.

Night all-around: test program exercises

1. "I'm looking far away"

2. "Eyes run wide"

3. "In the oncoming lane"

4. “Let’s catch up”

Let's complicate the previous test a little and expose the camera not to bright headlights, but to rear marker lights. Let's see when the electronic mind will stop blinding the overtaken car.

5. "Attention - overtaking"

The test car must quickly reduce the brightness of the light, recognizing the car ahead of it. Since both test participants are in motion, the result is presented not in meters, but in seconds.

6. "Speed reaction"

Weapon of struggle

What was lighting control like before the advent of intelligent systems? There is a switch in the cabin, headlights, and between them there is simple electrical wiring with relays and fuses. For the heroes of today, everything is much more complicated.

The first assistant of the system is the light sensor. For decades now, it has automatically turned on the headlights at dusk or at the entrance to a tunnel. Some modern models claim to have the function of changing the shape of the light beam and its brightness depending on driving conditions. In this case, the electronics also rely on the readings of this sensor, and they also need information about the speed of the car. This is how the computer understands that it is necessary to use city or autobahn mode.

Auto-corrector became widespread with the advent of xenon headlights more than twenty years ago. Optical or mechanical sensors measure the position of the body relative to the conditional zero level, and the control unit gives a command to adjust the light beam in height. It is important to understand that the system is quite inert and is designed to compensate for changes in the angle of inclination of the body depending on the load of the car, and it is incapable of working out road irregularities or adjusting the beam on descents and ascents.

In the 2000s, cornering headlights began to gain popularity, improving visibility during maneuvers. They come in two types: a separate section that turns on when necessary, or a movable low-beam optical element. The first option is used exclusively for illuminating slow turns (for example, when entering a yard), the second helps more when passing fast turns, although its benefit is noticeable even at a snail’s speed. In both cases, the electronics also rely on data from the steering angle sensor. As soon as the driver begins to turn the steering wheel, the backlight is immediately activated in the corresponding direction. Individual sections can also respond to the turn signal and turn on in advance. Very convenient: the driver sees the situation “around the corner” without even starting the maneuver.

Automatic high beam control is still very young. It was introduced when modern cars received “vision” - video cameras located next to the light sensor behind the interior mirror. The lens catches any sufficiently bright light source and keeps the headlights in low beam mode until it disappears from the field of view. In theory, everything is simple, but the camera and its software support must have remarkable capabilities. For example, you need to notice the rear marker lights, which can be very dim (especially on older cars), and at the same time ignore the glow of the bright reflective film of road signs.

The pinnacle of modern technology is the so-called matrix light. It was first used by Audi, and now even the quite democratic Opel has it.

The number of LEDs in a headlight does not directly affect lighting efficiency

When an oncoming or passing car appears, such headlights do not turn off the high beams completely, but “cut out” a separate fragment of the light spot. This provides the driver with the best possible visibility and almost completely eliminates the possibility of dazzling those oncoming.

The advanced system operates based on the sensors described above, as well as additional devices. Thus, Audi also uses navigation data, reconfiguring the light in advance for the nearest turn.

Using the Infiniti as an example, it becomes clear that at low speeds, the cornering headlights (bottom picture) make it impossible to see nearby obstacles.

With the exception of Nissan and Toyota, all cars can illuminate turns using rotating mechanisms in the headlight or by turning on the side light - a fog light or a separate section in the main headlight. The control electronics receives commands from the turn signal or steering angle sensor and issues commands to the actuators.

We measure the width of the light beam 20 m from the car - at this distance, across the “look” of the headlights, a person walks from the axis of symmetry of the car to the side of the road. And we measure the point at which it will become invisible. Volvo showed the best result: the driver sees a pedestrian standing 27.6 m to the right of the car. Moreover, the XC90 produced this result without using any additional functions: we carried out measurements in static conditions, when the XC90’s headlight turning mechanism is not active (this, for example, can be done by Infiniti), and the side illumination of the fog lamp is useless because it illuminates only a small space under bumper. Volvo main headlights shine wide!

But Hyundai, on the contrary, demonstrated how effective the additional section of side lighting is. With its help, he repeated the leader's result - but to do this, you already need to turn the steering wheel for the side lighting to turn on. The others were seriously behind in this exercise. The best pursuers are the Infiniti Q50 (19.8 m with cornering headlights) and Jaguar XF (19.2 m with side lights). But both at the same time turned out to be the worst with the wheels in a straight position: 10.2 and 9.9 m, respectively.

Over time, electronics will become better at navigating non-standard situations, but now there are a lot of false positives

Go!

Low beam shots are given for all models

We'll figure it out ourselves

The operation of the automation was additionally tested on public roads, where other light sources, difficult terrain, road signs and cars interfere. Failures in recognizing side lights repeated. Moreover, Toyota has joined the company of Infiniti, Nissan and Cadillac. Until the last moment, these four blind the driver of the overtaking car in the mirrors, forcing him to take control of the light and forcefully switch to low beam.

*For all cars: up to the illumination level below 1 lux. Scale
vertical 1:2

In general, the electronic mind of all our charges is more or less adequate (with the exception of the above-mentioned feature). Driving with light assistants is really easier and more pleasant - at least until specific conditions arise that, at this stage of technology development, cannot be included in the algorithm.

For example, it’s inconvenient in front of truck drivers. The top of the truck cab appears from behind the hump much earlier than the headlights, which the control system is guided by. And while there is no “irritant”, the high beam continues to dazzle - after all, the three yellow lights on the top of the cab that are installed on the trucks are lost in the darkness, the electronics do not recognize them. A couple of times I received a well-deserved reproach from the trucks by turning on all the spotlights. And in manual mode, a polite driver, noticing the upper dimensions of the truck, would have switched to the lower one in advance.

The cheaper the car, the less efficient the LED light

Similar problems can arise in winter slush. The camera simply won’t understand that this dim flicker ahead is the head optics of an oncoming car.

Another nuance is the terrain of the road. The oncoming car could easily be a kilometer away, and your distant one doesn’t bother it yet. Or you both go down into the lowlands, when you don’t have to switch the lights until the last moment. As in the case of a truck, a competent driver will act according to the situation, and the electronics switches the light strictly in accordance with the programmed program - when oncoming headlights begin to “hit you head-on”.

*For all cars: up to the illumination level below 1 lux. Scale
vertical 1:2

Of course, over time, electronics will begin to receive more information (for example, through Car-to-Car or Car-to-X communication) and better navigate non-standard situations. In the meantime, they are too tough for all cars.

Tribute to technology

The conclusions from our night watch are as follows. The thesis was once again confirmed that the LEDs in the headlight themselves do not at all guarantee its excellent performance. And the cheaper the car (and, accordingly, the headlight), the worse the light. The transition from halogen and xenon to LEDs is driven by the need to be on trend and report on reducing energy consumption.

Among the obvious advantages of LED headlights – a spectrum more familiar to the human eye and “eternal” light sources (the second statement is purely theoretical and requires confirmation by practice).

Minuses- a complex and expensive design, which in case of any malfunctions or damage can only be replaced as an assembly.

Our recommendations are as follows. It’s not worth paying extra for “just” LED headlights. But if they are equipped with at least one or two additional functions, such as cornering lights, additional sections of side lighting, automatic high beam control or, finally, matrix technology, it makes sense to fork out, if finances allow. This is an extremely useful arsenal, significantly increasing the level of active safety and making travel in the dark more comfortable.

Also on topic

Air filter description types device operating principle photo video

The cruiser "Aurora" returned to its original place under its own power. What changed on the "Aurora" during the repair

Air filter Toyota Camry

Disadvantages of LED headlights