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An automotive lighting system comprises lighting and signaling devices and gadgets installed and at the sides, front, and rear of an automobile.

This complex system assists the driver to man the vehicle safely and effectively. This lighting system is especially useful after dark, when it aids in increasing the vehicle’s visibility and to convey information vis-à-vis an automobiles direction of travel, position, size, presence and a driver's next moves to other road users.

A vehicle’s lighting devices are classified based on their position and their function. For example, a headlamp is mounted to the front of a vehicle and its objective is to provide the needed illumination of the road during low visibility conditions, like rain or nighttime. Other lighting devices include auxiliary lamps, convenience lights, ornamental lights, signaling lights, conspicuity lights, etc.



Types of Automotive Lights

There is a plethora of automotive lighting devices available, each serving a different purpose. Some of the essential lighting gadgets for automobiles are explained below.

Auxiliary Lights      

As the name suggests the auxiliary lights are meant to offer or provide help to the driver.

Driving Lamps: These are also known as full beam, auxiliary upper beam or auxiliary high-beam lamp. The purpose of the lamp is to enable the driver to see much ahead on long roads that are unlit. The term driving lamps has been derived from the early days of automobile, when the high-beam lamps were the ones used in driving and dipped only occasionally when another vehicle approached from the opposite direction.

Rally & Off-road lamps: These specialty lamps come in handy for automobiles used in rallying or off-roading and are driven at breakneck speeds. These extra lamps help to widen the field of illumination so that a driver can clearly see more of what lies in front of the vehicle. At times these lamps are installed on a bar parallel to the forward-facing lights or at other times are mounted just above the roof.

Headlights

Headlights or headlamps as they are known are the most used devices in an automobile’s lighting system. This is so because they perform the critical function of lighting up the road ahead during low-visibility conditions. Explanation of it two types follow.

Dipped beam: This is known by many names such as low beam, meeting beam, passing beam but all of which refer to the same. These headlamps illuminate the region in a vehicle’s front in such a manner that the light is distributed to provide sufficient forward as well as lateral coverage. This is in addition to preventing the vehicles light beams from blinding any oncoming traffic.

Main beam: These lamps are also known as high beam, full beam driving beam. Main beams, as against the dipped beam aren’t meant to shine controlled light, rather they are configured to provide a very bright beam, with most of it focused towards the center. These lights can block the ability of approaching drivers to see, hence it’s used selectively only on empty, unlit roads.

Tail Lights

The alternative names of tail lights are rear position lamps, taillamp, taillight, tail lamp, tail lamps and tail light. The basic purpose of these lights is to warn the traffic following a particular vehicle of the existence of the vehicle ahead during night or in the dark.

Conventionally, the lights emit a light red beam which and are electrically wired to light up whenever the front lights of an automobile are switched. A single set of multiple sets of these lights are installed, usually depending on the size of vehicle.

In addition, these lamps are connected to the braking system of an automobile, so as soon as the brakes are pushed these lights acquire a much brighter glow, thus indicating that a vehicle is stopping.

The ratios of intensity of brightness for taillights signaling either a braking or a normal mode of governed by international regulations. A standard degree of difference in intensity prevents an incorrect interpretation of brake lights for normal brightness and normal illumination for brake lights.

Sidelights

Sidelights are a set of lights which are meant to provide conspicuity of a standing-vehicle during nighttime. The lights which are installed at the front for conspicuity are called as front position lamps. The alternative names for the lights are parking lamps, parking lights and of course sidelights which is the term used in North America. The color of the light emitted by the lamps is governed by local regulation but it’s usually either white light or amber light.

The other commonly used lights are the Interior Light and Light Accessories. While the Interior Lights are meant to illuminate the inside of the car to help an automobile’s occupants, Light accessories or the most part serve to decorate and adorn a vehicle.

Buying Tips

Often businesses source automobile lighting system and its components from various suppliers and which like all business transactions entails a risk. Though business risks can’t be completely done away with they can positively be reduced. The following tips should help you to source successfully while minimizing the risk.

1. Always establish the integrity of the source prior to need

2. Whenever and wherever possible, establish a list of approved suppliers.

3. It’s always a good idea to run at least a simple check on an alternative source of supply through the following:

a. Ask for a certification that the supply isn’t a diverted shipment.

b. Ask for a certification that any actions by the alternative source won’t change original manufacture warranties or guarantees.

4. Be extra cautious when products are offered at unreasonably cheap prices.

5. You might ask for a sample product, or inspect the supplies before they are shipped.

6. Consider developing a list of key automotive lighting products that would be preferably purchased via an authorized distribution channel.

7. Inspect the products for subtle changes in its packaging.

8. Watch out for variations in the size of the container vis-à-vis any products purchased previously.

Industry Overview

Beginning with the invention of the automobile, the automotive lighting systems have undergone a sea change since the days of acetylene lamps to the sophisticated LED devices of the 21st century.

Absolutely essential to an automobile a modern day automotive lighting system comprises at least 100 LEDs on an average. The penetration of LEDs into a vehicle’s interiors is indubitable but their installation to the exterior is fast catching up. For instance, about 80% of Japanese and European auto makers have chosen to incorporate LEDs in the third brake light of their products.

In the years 2005 and 2006, the market for high intensity LED products was worth US$ 5.8 billion and US$ 6.6 billion respectively. The trend of growth is set to culminate in the market value of US$ 10.6 billion by 2011, constituting a higher market share a much higher market penetration of more than 13% at present.

Some qualitative trends in the industry are the following:

• Off late, the automotive industry has seen an open sharing of advanced technological research between manufactures at conferences and symposia.
• The numbers of lighting regulations have shrunk and have become better harmonized.
• Pedestrian safety is gaining ground as a consideration in designing lighting devices.