The Benefits of LED Lighting for Cars

LEDs are actually semi-conductors that glow when a current passes through them. They have a long life expectancy, achieve full brightness instantly and use considerably less power than standard halogen bulbs. This lessens the strain on the battery, which makes it less likely that you will run the battery flat if you accidentally leave your lights on.

To Improve road safety during the day, Europe introduced legislation in February 2011 to make it mandatory that all new passenger vehicles come fitted with Daylight Running Lamps (DRL). The features of LEDs make them ideal components for use in these lights DRLs switch on with the vehicle ignition and switch off or dim when side lights are switched on. The use of DRLs have been proved in studies to reduce road accidents during daytime hours by the European Commission and the Department of Transport.

Although this legislation only refers to vehicles that are manufactured after February 2011, many drivers choose to retro-fit DRLs to older vehicles. They often do this for both functional and styling reasons as they like the look that bright white LEDs add to their car.

In a lot of vehicles it can be impossible to change a bulb without it involving a trip to a mechanic. It is not uncommon for stories online to tell of charges in excess of £200 particularly with some French and German vehicles that some unfortunate motorists have had to pay. For this reason alone it is easy to see why vehicle owners are beginning to choose the LED option.

These charges do not factor in the cost of vehicle down time and man hours lost that business and fleet owners would face from changing bulbs or having flat batteries, so for commercial reasons a lot of companies are making the change from traditional halogen bulbs to the LED.

As LED bulbs have became increasingly popular, motorists have seen prices fall and the technology used in them has increased, resulting in low-cost lighting that is both energy efficient and gives increased visibility. As development continues and there are pressures on all walks of life to become more energy conscious, it may not be long before LEDs are fitted as standard on all vehicles.

You can see a visual comparrison video between LEDs and standard halogen bulbs here . It demonstrates just how different the two are.