Headlight technology pretty cool.

[factorytuned2012]

 

[vavavroom]

I have an old miner's carbide lamp in the attic. I mean the miner may not have been old or he may have been a minor. Who knows. Anyway, they used to have carbide lamps even on bicycles! The chance of uncontrolled combustion is a bonus. Early 20th century tech was awesome. Ever seen a percussion cap cigarette lighter from the late 1800s? It uses the same percussion cap paper roll ammo toy guns used much later.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Without watching the video I can tell you the problems:

• Many new headlights are serialized to the VIN (so you have to go to the dealer or an expensive mobile tech to reprogram).
• Reinitialization might require synchronization with ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) i.e. radar, camera, lidar, and a 4 wheel alignment. Targets are used for lidar and radar so this isn't just replace and program.
• Dynamic calibration is occasionally needed for some ADAS which means tech might have to drive the vehicle for up to an hour.
• The cost of replacing an entire headlight can be in the thousands. This isn't your normal plastic headlight assembly that just needs halogens. These lights have drivers, motors, computers, and cooling systems. These parts are usually sold individually and can require their own programming when replaced separately..

The future is bright, for the parts department's bottom line!

 

[daves87rs]

Without watching the video I can tell you the problems:

• Many new headlights are serialized to the VIN (so you have to go to the dealer or an expensive mobile tech to reprogram).
• Reinitialization might require synchronization with ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) i.e. radar, camera, lidar, and a 4 wheel alignment. Targets are used for lidar and radar so this isn't just replace and program.
• Dynamic calibration is occasionally needed for some ADAS which means tech might have to drive the vehicle for up to an hour.
• The cost of replacing an entire headlight can be in the thousands. This isn't your normal plastic headlight assembly that just needs halogens. These lights have drivers, motors, computers, and cooling systems. These parts are usually sold individually and can require their own programming when replaced separately..

The future is bright, for the parts department's bottom line!

Thinking that might be more of a higher end item, like adaptive headlights.

 

[vavavroom]

Without watching the video I can tell you the problems:

• Many new headlights are serialized to the VIN (so you have to go to the dealer or an expensive mobile tech to reprogram).
• Reinitialization might require synchronization with ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) i.e. radar, camera, lidar, and a 4 wheel alignment. Targets are used for lidar and radar so this isn't just replace and program.
• Dynamic calibration is occasionally needed for some ADAS which means tech might have to drive the vehicle for up to an hour.
• The cost of replacing an entire headlight can be in the thousands. This isn't your normal plastic headlight assembly that just needs halogens. These lights have drivers, motors, computers, and cooling systems. These parts are usually sold individually and can require their own programming when replaced separately..

The future is bright, for the parts department's bottom line!

Integrated smart systems get expensive. Just buy a new car.

 

[f355spider]

Without watching the video I can tell you the problems:

• Many new headlights are serialized to the VIN (so you have to go to the dealer or an expensive mobile tech to reprogram).
• Reinitialization might require synchronization with ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) i.e. radar, camera, lidar, and a 4 wheel alignment. Targets are used for lidar and radar so this isn't just replace and program.
• Dynamic calibration is occasionally needed for some ADAS which means tech might have to drive the vehicle for up to an hour.
• The cost of replacing an entire headlight can be in the thousands. This isn't your normal plastic headlight assembly that just needs halogens. These lights have drivers, motors, computers, and cooling systems. These parts are usually sold individually and can require their own programming when replaced separately..

The future is bright, for the parts department's bottom line!

Crazy expensive for several years for some brands...I know my 7 year old BMW with LED headlights with adaptive headlights that actively adapt to oncoming traffic by dipping the LEDs...they are over $2600 for each headlight assembly...plus labor for installation. I wonder what the newer laser BMW headlights cost when replacement time comes?

Ferrari headlights really aren't that special, but are many thousands more....just because "Ferrari".

 

[Kira]

Thanks to the OP for the historical piece on headlights.
The 'how' of carbide and halogen filament replenishment is enlightening.
When, oh when will video makers learn that tightening up "production qualities" make for an improved video.
Trim down the repetitive stock footage filler and any words which don't fit in perfectly with the time-line.
No benefit to making the video >17 minutes long.

 

[John105]

All 3 of our cars have HID xenon and 2/3 are adaptive. I know for certain that the 2/3 do not blind oncoming traffic. Apparently this technology is too expensive to deploy today, since new cars are so inexpensive.

I dunno how we've become a society once again where it's OK to blind oncoming traffic and have headlamps like we did in the 1970s. Now that so many vehicles have moved the blinding LEDs to a lower position on the front, I can say it doesn't eliminate the problem. I used to think it was me, really. Maybe getting older those lights seem bright. Nope, they are. And I heard they would not be legal in Europe. Do better USA.

 

[dogememe]

Yep, modern headlight housings are EXPENSIVE, and even if they have bulbs, they seem to be getting harder and harder to change, but they're also usually far better IMO. Visibility is worth something, I think.

I had a customer the other day with a modern-ish Explorer with partial LED assemblies (maybe in the range of 2018-2021, I don't remember). One was dead... vehicle was old enough to be out of warranty. I don't remember the price but it was eye wateringly expensive. He said no thanks, I'm going to go find a used one. He came in looking for a $20 light bulb and left with the understanding this endeavor was going to cost him at least a few hundred bucks.

Looking up my 2017 Bolt which is just a projector housing that takes in an HID bulb... about $100 for the bulb which takes about an hour of taking the front end apart to change... and the assembly is $500 each if you break one.

I don't even want to know the price of a headlight assembly on the Prologue. It's full LED turn signal, DRL, high beam, low beam in one. Hopefully it will outlast my ownership of the vehicle!

 

[mccandish]

I'm with everyone else - technology is sure impressive, but a subtitle for this video could have been, "How changing a bulb went from one thin dime (calcium carbide chunks and water) to $2600+ (an entirely precision-made unit that is pretty much useless once any part of it is broken). Some taillights seem to be just as bad.

Pricing aside, though, laser headlights look exciting!

 

[Marcozi]

I'm with everyone else - technology is sure impressive, but a subtitle for this video could have been, "How changing a bulb went from one thin dime (calcium carbide chunks and water) to $2600+ (an entirely precision-made unit that is pretty much useless once any part of it is broken). Some taillights seem to be just as bad.

Pricing aside, though, laser headlights look exciting!

BMW ditched the laser headlights.

 

[wemay]

I am perfectly fine with Halogens.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Thinking that might be more of a higher end item, like adaptive headlights.

Yes, it started this way, the high end cars are only getting worse, with multi thousand dollar re-calibration bills. This tech is trickling down to more common vehicles though. I think the future of used cars and DIY repair is going to be left to those that can afford to use the tools or will live without the fancy features and warning lights on the dashboard.

 

[f355spider]

BMW ditched the laser headlights.

I didn't know that:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltaylor/2024/08/14/laser-headlamps-are-disappearing-heres-why/

 

[f355spider]

BMW Adaptive LED Headlights:
I have this system activated on my Canadian spec BMW. I don't believe it is technically legal in the USA...the USA/Canadian programming my car originally came with would only turn off the high beams if the cameras detected oncoming cars. The euro version I have had activated allows the high beams to be on continuously, and will adapt and "tunnel" or "channel" the headlight beams to prevent glaring both oncoming cars and cars going in the same direction. When traffic is heavy, like in a more urban (dense cars) environment, the high beams will completely dim until traffic lightens.

Canada approved of the technology a couple years ago or so, but I heard not all manufacturers offer it, as they like to standardize cars for both USA and Canada.

https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transp...iver-assistance-systems/adaptive-driving-beam

 

[mccandish]

I'm with everyone else - technology is sure impressive, but a subtitle for this video could have been, "How changing a bulb went from one thin dime (calcium carbide chunks and water) to $2600+ (an entirely precision-made unit that is pretty much useless once any part of it is broken). Some taillights seem to be just as bad.

Pricing aside, though, laser headlights look exciting!

Follow up video with the laser headlight.