Headlights have had a century’s worth of history and have had many gradual changes throughout the decades. When automobiles were first introduced, headlamps were lit by kerosene oil but gradually transitioned into acetylene gas headlamps. The acetylene gas headlamps however were problematic for vehicles because the light only reached short distances, and the gas could freeze. To combat this problem, in 1908, scientists worked on the introduction of the first carbon-based headlamp bulb that ran on battery power. The option to have carbon-based headlamp bulbs was only accessible to the rich; it was only in 1911 when electric headlamps became the industry standard in the United States among auto
manufacturers.
Through the increased use of electric lighting in automobiles, the safety benefits were clearly shown to lawmakers, making Massachusetts the first state to require electric headlamps for all motor vehicles in 1915. By the early 1920s, more states had followed Massachusetts in adopting electric-light requirements on all motor vehicles.
As a consequence of the increased intensity of the light produced by the headlights, one of the problems that came to the forefront was glare. The ongoing efforts to reduce glare were showcased during the 1930s as American automakers were attempting to catch up with European technologies. The efforts ultimately led to American designers introducing sealed beam headlights to improve the consistency of the light input and glare control.
During the 1940s, the introduction of turn signals became a standard feature in all American automobiles. It allowed for easier turns because drivers did not have to manually signal others when making turns. This decade is marked by the practicality of lighting rather than simply being the brightest headlight bulbs. American designers now factored in designs, size, and comfort.
During the 1950s, US regulators required round sealed beams, which were in contrast with European regulators favoring replaceable bulb headlights; sealed beam headlights had the housing and the lightbulb in a single unit, while replaceable bulbs had the lightbulb and housing in separate units. The decade was also marked by the bulbs having two types of intensities:
high and low. Low-beam lights would be used to keep other cars alerted, whereas high-beam light would be used during the night. And as cars became more affordable, light bulbs needed to offer more than just one level of intensity as there was an increased number of people who worked in graveyards or traveled great distances.
In the 1960s the trend of having halogen light bulbs that was ongoing in Europe did not reach the States. Rather, the use of cars became more common among people living very different lifestyles, leading to a demand to have a variety of headlights available to suit the needs of various environments. However, halogen lights abruptly became the industry standard during the 1970s in America. This option became popular as it had a low-cost lighting option.
To have more flexibility in designing headlights, American automakers requested to have rectangular headlights. The design with rectangular headlights became a common feature within 2 years. The increased leniency in headlights was further emphasized during the 1980s when the U.S. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration allowed drivers to choose between sealed beam headlights and replaceable bulbs.
Now as for the 1990s, two types of lighting debuted, and these have continued to stay in the market: HID (Xenon) and LED. HID lights are popular for their brightness and energy efficiency, and LED lights can exceed HID lights in terms of life expectancy. Ultimately LED lights dominated the whole headlight industry.
In the end, through technological advancements, changes in consumer preferences, and European influence, car headlights evolved into what they are today.
Aiden's Car Blogs 