LED low and high beam headlights: can you see more. Projection type headlight designed for self-propelled vehicles Which headlights are better: Halogen, Xenon or LED

It seems that, finally, the fashion for the "collective farm" xenon that eats out the eyes has passed, but today LED artillery, which has not yet been banned, is entering the battle. A logical question arises: are the standard head optics bulbs really so bad that you need to look for an alternative, or are there other options?

Kulibins in Russia will not be transferred, no matter what GOSTs and TUs admonish them, no matter what fines they frighten for interfering with the design of a car. And the reason here is not at all in the itch of invention. Most of the standards of civilization end behind the bypass roads of major cities.

The hype around LED or LED bulbs has been fueled by Chinese lighting manufacturers, who have thrown a huge number of product options for headlights onto the market in recent years. Whether it is of high quality or not is another matter, but the buyer, as they say, caught fire.

Game without rules

Indeed, modern LEDs can last up to forty years, they are insensitive to temperature changes, and most importantly, to vibrations and shocks. Yes, and the light output, at first glance, is considerable - up to 30-60 lm / W or more versus 10-17 lm / W for an incandescent lamp, and it grows, with the development of technology, from year to year.

It would seem that buy and put such light bulbs, besides, the cunning Chinese released them in all known types of socles, which we recently wrote about. There are a lot of designs: with one or more LEDs, with a small focusing lens or without it ... Sellers promise fantastic light, but, alas, they lie on a blue eye.

But what about UNECE Rules No. 112, on the basis of which national standards for automotive lighting were created, in particular GOST R 41.112-2005? Indeed, they clearly state that the headlights marked C - low, R - high, CR - dual-mode (low and high) light, and they are designed either to work with incandescent lamps, or in the case of markings HC, HR and HCR are suitable, respectively, only for halogen incandescent lamps. For HID gas dischargers, or xenon lamps, their headlamp standards are UNECE Regulation No. 98 or GOST R 41.98–99. All of them are available on the official website of the Economic Commission for Europe.

For LED headlights (not to be confused with today's standardized daytime running lights!) Uniform rules are still under development, i.e. GOST only shines for them, which gives rise to a huge number of experiments by car owners.

Focus with focus

Alas, the experimental way to achieve the result is not always the best and shortest, and trying to achieve the perfection of Volkswagen, Opel or Audi, which has LED headlights worth several thousand euros per unit in the A8 or R8 models, is guaranteed to fail. Getting to the level of Peugeot or Kia is also unlikely to succeed - and everything is not easy there.

It's not just about the very "bird" that each of us saw on the focusing stand - the main parameter for the correct setting of the headlights. Something similar can be obtained with LEDs, and the light spot will be tolerable in shape.

It would seem that the temperature of the LED is correct (4500-5000 K), and the brightness is colossal (up to 3000 lm) with a power consumption of 20-30 W, but still the headlights will either shine mediocre or blind. And the point here is not only the brightness of the light source, but also its geometric characteristics. Much of what we see in the headlights depends on the shape, size and orientation of the tungsten filament.

Let's say a string strictly 4.1 mm long is required for a lamp with an H7 base and not only. Moreover, the distance from the support pad of the base to the lower edge of the spiral should be exactly 25 mm! Under them, a system of dispersion and focusing of the headlights of the vast majority of cars has been developed: either a projector - with a traditional design of reflectors and diffusers, or, in common parlance, lensed - a projector. But not under the luminous squares, rectangles and ovals of LEDs.

For LED headlight designs, special projector focusing schemes are still used, fundamentally familiar from both halogen and xenon headlights. On cars of the premium segment, matrix configurations of beam formation and control began to be used, requiring the most complex calculations and expensive auxiliary electronics.

Even the simplest LED lamps require a pulsed, stabilized power supply and a cooling system - the basis for the correct, long and uninterrupted operation of the device. Not to mention the mentioned focusing structures that cannot be done on the knee.

Yes, there are companies that have mastered the production of complete LED headlights. For example, in the German Herth + Buss line there is a version for our Niva. True, the kit will cost as much as 44 thousand rubles! Again German Hella, American J.W. Speaker and other companies have launched projector focusing LED modules that are mounted in certain types of headlights. But all this has nothing to do with mass production yet.

Before tinkering with headlights, it is useful to refer to a school physics textbook for the 7th grade. Read about illumination, light intensity, reflectance of various surfaces. You can finally get acquainted with the Internet resource, which presents some patented headlight designs.

Light at the end of the tunnel?

So, there is no chance for us to get excellent headlights at a reasonable cost? If we talk about LED near and far, then today it is so. Until a unified design of headlights for LED lamps appears, this pleasure will be either insanely expensive or ineffective.

But there is still a way out, even with the notorious halogens. A well-made, serviceable and adjusted headlight, even with a 55-watt light bulb, will provide safe lighting in most cases. Naturally, if the glass of the headlight is not covered with dirt, the reflector has not peeled off, and the voltage in the car network is at least 12 V.

If, under all the conditions met, you are not satisfied with the work of standard headlights, you can try to supply analogues from alternative manufacturers, if any. True, if you like tuning headlights with a modified filling, get ready for the fact that they will most likely be Chinese or Taiwanese. For owners of VAZ products - domestic.

Approximate cost of headlights for popular car models in Russia, rub./pc.

The Hyundai Motor CIS company announced the expansion of the Hyundai Creta trim levels in the Russian market. The compact crossover version with a 1.6-liter engine, 6-speed manual or automatic transmission can now be equipped with an all-wheel drive system. Previously, only cars with a 2.0-liter engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission were equipped with it.

The company hopes that thanks to this adjustment, the share of all-wheel drive configurations of the model will exceed 50%.

Hyundai Creta with all-wheel drive, 1.6-liter engine and manual transmission in the Active package will cost 964 900 rubles. Creta 4x4 with 1.6L engine and automatic transmission in Comfort Plus package is affordable 1,134,900 rubles.

In addition, the top-end Comfort package has been updated, from today it is called Comfort Plus and costs 20,000 rubles more. However, it is difficult to call it an increase in price, because not only its name has changed, but also its content, which now includes projection-type headlights with static turn signal lamps when turning the steering wheel, front fog lamps and LED daytime running lights. Previously, this equipment was part of the Style package, and now it has been included in the "body" of the top version. For the mid-range Active, these features are now available in the new Light package for an extra charge.

Standard equipment on all Creta versions includes: 16-inch steel wheels, a full-size spare wheel, an audio system with USB connectors, AUX, driver and passenger airbags, ABS + EBD, a stabilization system with hill start and downhill assistance , steering wheel height adjustment, driver's seat height adjustment, Bluetooth, power windows for the front and rear doors, radio control buttons on the steering wheel, as well as the ERA-GLONASS emergency call system.

• , we became aware of this thanks to the Brazilian edition of Car and Driver. The budget truck should be put into production in mid-2018.
• Hyundai's stand at the Moscow Motor Show was completely dominated.
• Its closest competitor Kaptur in the top-end configuration will cost 15 thousand rubles cheaper, but it has a 4-speed automatic, and not a 6-speed, like the Crete. True, its equipment is a little richer.
• According to the results of February, the model is in the top five most popular cars on the Russian market. A total of 4,055 units were sold, and Renault Kaptur took only 17th place, with 1,838 such cars purchased in February.

Car showrooms of the company "AutoGermes" offer you a large selection of new cars at prices affordable to everyone! Here is a wide range of KIA, Suzuki, LADA, Lifan, UAZ, Hyundai and other brands. Customers with any budget can buy passenger cars from us. We provide individual conditions and favorable prices, which you can check by phone or on the website.

AutoGermes, the official representative of eight auto concerns, offers to buy a new car in Moscow. Dealer status allows us to offer profitable programs and carry out warranty service.

2 minutes - and you will pick up a car at the cost and configuration

In the dealer center "AutoGermes" you can easily find both an inexpensive car and business class models. The site has a simple and convenient search form. After spending a couple of minutes filling it out, you will quickly select the best option.

Specify the brand, price, engine size, select other parameters - and you will see only those cars that meet your requirements. If you do not want to limit yourself in your choice, you can sort the offers by:

• price;
• configuration;
• salon
• year.

• The most popular devices in the field of auto lighting.
• Headlights emit the highest quality and brightest light with.
• Lamps work due to the presence in the bulb of a mixture of inert gases, including xenon.
• This type of headlight comes with premium and business class cars. Can optionally be installed in budget cars.
• Compared to halogen headlights, this type of headlight has a more complex design.
• The system includes not only a headlight, xenon lamps, but also ignition blocks. kindle lamps that need the proper voltage level. The voltage is 10-20 kV. Ballasts also maintain a glow charge as long as the lamps are on.
• There are two types of xenon headlights. The first type of headlights is reflex. The second type is a projector. These headlights are the most popular among consumers in the market.
• Headlights can be divided into near and far lighting modes. But in most cases, bi-xenon headlights are used: the functions of the near / far lighting modes are implemented in one headlight.
• Cut-off lines in bi-xenon optics can be reproduced in several ways.
  Method one: light screen in projection headlights.
  Method two: Move the discharge lamp horizontally in reflective headlights.
• Bi-xenon type headlights are mostly equipped with a special turning module: vertical, horizontal plane.
• Due to the nature of xenon headlights, they should always be combined with

ECE, DOT and JDM standards

Headlights (or lighting devices) that meet the European requirements "ECE" (Economic Commission of Europe, ECE / UN) are indicated by the letter E and numbers in a circle. The number indicates the country that certified this product (1 - Germany, 2 - France, 3 - Italy,.., 22 - Russia). Both ECE and DOT regulations regulate only the low beam adjustment.

For the light of "European" cars, since 1957, a "clear" black and white border with an asymmetric light distribution has been established (the right part rises up at an angle of 15 °, providing accentuated lighting of the right side of the road). In addition, the ECE standard prescribes a lower permissible level of glare for oncoming drivers than, for example, in the USA.

*note-1: in countries with left-hand traffic, for example, in the UK with country code 11, the requirements may be mirrored;
**note-2: in general, excluding the mirroring of left-hand traffic, a number of countries are gradually migrating to European standards in lighting engineering rules: Great Britain in the late 1970s, Australia in the 1980s, Japan in the 1990s.

Unlike European headlights, North American headlights are distributed almost symmetrically. Lighting fixtures destined for the United States are marked with the abbreviation DOT (Department Of Transport, US Department of Transportation). Since DOT pays more attention to the lighting of road signs and markings, this results in a higher allowable level of glare (dazzle) for oncoming traffic. In addition, in the United States, headlights are supposed to be adjusted only vertically.

Lighting devices intended for the domestic market of Japanese cars (JDM, Japan Domestic Market) are designed for left-hand traffic, and in fact, satisfy the mirror copy of ECE.
Three types of car headlights

Parabolic - the most common are conventional headlights with a parabolic reflector. Their feature is that the light bulb is located at the focus (focal point), due to which the reflector directs the beam of light along the axis (convenient for high beams). The diffuser expands the beam horizontally. The useful light output ("efficiency") of such headlights is about 27%.

FF-reflectors - elliptical "free form" reflector (free form, freie flechen). The reflector surface calculated on the computer is divided into separate segments, each of which is responsible for its part of the illuminated space. The beam is distributed more purposefully and its range increases, and the "efficiency" reaches about 45%.

Projection DE. More and more car models are moving away from traditional parabolic headlights, starting to lose a lot in efficiency. Manufacturers are beginning to prefer headlights with ellipsoid reflectors - popularly referred to as dot or lens optics. The rays of a lamp located in the first focus are collected in the second and then fall into a converging lens. For the first time, "lens" low beam headlights appeared in 1986 on the "seven" BMW. The rays, gathering in the second focus of the reflector, are "cut off" by the screen, which provides the given cut-off line, and then are focused again by the lens. Their efficiency (especially the second generation) is already starting to exceed 50%. At the same time, together with perfectly focused bright light, the lens optics tries to protect the eyes of oncoming drivers from it, preventing dangerous illumination of the oncoming lane (but more on that below).
Advantages of projection headlights:
- increased light output with better economy.
- Improved visibility, greater safety and visibility.
- modern car look style.

Disadvantages: as a rule, rather high cost.
Black and white border
According to the standards of most countries, one of the most important characteristics of car lighting devices is the so-called "cut-off line" (dipped beam) - a conditional line where the beam of your headlights ends, turning into almost complete darkness ahead on the road. As can be seen from the figure, the line is asymmetric: the beam on the right goes somewhat further than the left.

You can add one more illustration here, which shows that the right headlight "beats" brighter and farther, and the left one - just enough so as not to blind oncoming traffic. This is the standard European pattern for a right-hand traffic light spot - on the right it is longer to better illuminate the roadside - exactly where you would expect, for example, the sudden appearance of an unexpected figure or children running out. Obviously, the implementation of such a complex light profile is not the easiest thing, and it is also clear that the quality of car headlights today largely depends on the perfection of the manufacturer's technologies and their fine tuning.
How "lens optics" works
The term "lens" implies that the headlight now has a lens - it allows you to get a light beam from a smaller surface of the reflector, which is superior in properties to the usual one. In general, a projection-type headlight is an optical system consisting of an elliptical-type reflector, a screen (curtain) and a convex (spherical or elliptical) lens. The whole design resembles a projector, which was simply inserted into the headlight and covered from the outside with transparent glass or a diffuser.

Here, the rays of the light source located in the first focus of the system are reflected by an elliptical reflector and collected in the second focus, where, "cut off" by the screen, they are then projected by the lens onto the road.
What exactly cuts off the light from above?
The cutting off of overhead light, especially that which interferes with oncoming traffic, has been a requirement of the ECE since 1957. In lens optics, although the general appearance of the beam is created by a reflector, a screen placed in the second focus of the system is responsible for cutting off the overhead light, which ultimately sets the cut-off horizon. Someone will ask why the screen (in the figure) is from below, if the light needs to be cut off from above? Everything is simple as physics: projectors flip "what they project".

In other cases, even slight deviations can lead to the fact that the headlights become dangerous for oncoming drivers, plus it can significantly impair your own visibility. For example, most likely, few will notice the difference if you turn a regular headlight 4 degrees. But turn the lens optics beam by 4 degrees - you will immediately find that something is wrong with your light, not to mention other people.

As you know, the brightness of the light flux of xenon lamps is about twice as high as normal, and headlights can become a source of severe blinding. Therefore, the EEC rules have recently been supplemented with the requirement that lensed optics must have an automatic system for adjusting the light beam in the vertical plane (Automatic Level Adjuster), as well as a headlight washer.

Why a washer is so necessary may seem strange, but it follows from the results of research by Alferdinck, Hella, Bosch and others, namely: dirt accumulating on headlight lenses potentially increases the glare effect by up to 300% compared to clean lenses. This is especially true for high-brightness headlights. Currently, all production cars are equipped with the necessary devices.

For the first time, a plastic diffuser appeared in 1993 on the Opel Omega sedan - this made it possible to reduce the weight of the headlight by almost a kilogram!