Nope it is not due to VW decontenting Å koda cars it is because it seems LED lights will be taking over.

Source: http://blog.caranddr...ng-the-manuals/?

In that article the journalist spoke to a supplier of headlights to the automotive industry. He writes:

In Frankfurt, I spent some time with Martin Haub, head of R&D at supplier Valeo. .... Valeo is a technology leader on headlight systems, and Haub boldly precicts that from 2016 onwards, xenon headlights will be replaced by LEDs. While Haub has little doubt that the HID, as we know it, is doomed, the question remains whether halogen light will eventually become relegated to the dust bin. “I am convinced that we will see this moment. In the long run, LEDs will become the cheapest light source. They will dominate the market,†says Haub.

Though I can't remember the Valeo stand, Dekra had an interesting stand at the Frankfurt show. They had fully working headlights installed with toggle switches next to them to switch on the various functions, dipped beam, high beam, DRL, mimic cornering lights (with the little silver steering wheel) and as you can see on the right of this picture there is a little model car which you could "load" at the back to signify a caravan or whatever and you could see how the lights move up and down. The headlight is that of the new Mercedes CLS.

I think I would be surprised if it took that long. LED's make sense as they are cheap, have little pressure on the battery, are very bright and last much longer than standard lights.

The key is to get the light to spread as LED's only go out in a direct line. They need to sort the housing out in order to reflect the light at angles. They must be cracking it as they are in a Prius and other top end cars already.

I'd prefer to have LEDs, all round if possible.

Agreed. They give off much better light, need replacing far less often and as long as they are done so that people are not blinded by them everyone will win.

Sounds good, does that mean I could replace my Halogen bulb with LED, or would it glare too much?

Edited 5 October, 201114 yr by My_Yeti

Sounds good, does that mean I could replace my Halogen bulb with LED bulb, or would it glare too much?

I think just like Xenons are a complete system that can't be fitted inside a halogen fitment these LED lights will be the same. The whole light cluster will be full of various LED bulbs to do the job. I've not seen a system yet that works with just one LED unit. They are always a cluster. For example this is the LED headlights from the new Audi A6.

Thanks, so not something illegal like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Car-H4-120-SMD-LED-Head-Light-Headlight-Bulb-Lamp-12V-/270826301472?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f0e816820

Thanks, so not something illegal like this: http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3f0e816820

Erm, no.

LED sound great and will mean less emissions as well.

I see so may cars on the road around London running what must be illegal HIDs. The type and age of the car give it away as well as the headlight, they put them in halogen ones without the projector bits and they spread so badly. I wish they would be stopped/prosecuted. Same goes for fog lights use!

LED sound great and will mean less emissions as well.

I see so may cars on the road around London running what must be illegal HIDs. The type and age of the car give it away as well as the headlight, they put them in halogen ones without the projector bits and they spread so badly. I wish they would be stopped/prosecuted. Same goes for fog lights use!

AFAIK HIDs on a car sans headlight washers or the self levelling equipment will lead to an MOT failure... But then why would these people even bother with MOTs?! Though some of these cars just have blue tinted 900% Extra (or whatever they call them these days) helagen bulbs instead of the originals and not full HID conversions.

As much as I loved the xenons on my old Fabia, as a road user I hate the things! I hope LEDs prove to be an improvement.

AFAIK HIDs on a car sans headlight washers or the self levelling equipment will lead to an MOT failure... But then why would these people even bother with MOTs?! Though some of these cars just have blue tinted 900% Extra (or whatever they call them these days) helagen bulbs instead of the originals and not full HID conversions.

I know. I retro fitted xenons to both my previous 5 series tourings. Cost me about £600. I did drive about 30,000 miles a year in the dark, so it was worth it. My cars were both fitted with headlight washers, but there was a kit available for that, and the both had self levelling rear suspension (which i really miss) but I also fitted a sensor on the rear axle which kept the lights level. I also replaced the complete front light units as well. All supplied by Hella who make the genuine BMW kit, but saving me about £2000!! So it was to OEM spec.

My local MOT garage sells these aftermarket HID kits and tells me they are legal.......so even garages don't know the law!!! As they don't have self levelling or headlight washers as part of the kit.

I think just like Xenons are a complete system that can't be fitted inside a halogen fitment these LED lights will be the same. The whole light cluster will be full of various LED bulbs to do the job. I've not seen a system yet that works with just one LED unit. They are always a cluster. For example this is the LED headlights from the new Audi A6.

Interesting discussion about headlights. I think a car with cool looking headlights can distinguish it from the crowd. The new VW touareg with optional xenons and LED's is a good example.

As I understand it, the lights on the Audi A6 are in fact slim Xenons (upper part) with LED's around? My link

A face-lifted Yeti with headlights similar to these would look awesome.

Interesting discussion about headlights. I think a car with cool looking headlights can distinguish it from the crowd. The new VW touareg with optional xenons and LED's is a good example.

As I understand it, the lights on the Audi A6 are in fact slim Xenons (upper part) with LED's around? My link

A face-lifted Yeti with headlights similar to these would look awesome.

Ah!!!!! Bad example then! I went purely on what the American test had said! They called it LED headlights.

These are a better example then, the Lexus LS LED headlights:

Are these from the Audi A8 also multiple Xenons and not pure LED?

AFAIK the only production car currently being made with LED dipped and main beam headlamps is the Audi R8

No doubt they will start appearing on other top of the range VW group cars in the near future but I think it will be a while before we see them on a run of the mill Skoda.

Who remembers tungsten headlamps????

Been using LED's on my bikes for a couple of years now ( 2 x 1340 lumen units; one on the bars, one helmet mounted) (off-road use, BTW before I get flamed!)

My erstwhile retina burning HID's have been sold on!

Getting more light for less battery drain - it's the future for cars I reckon?

Nope it is not due to VW decontenting Å koda cars it is because it seems LED lights will be taking over.

Source: http://blog.caranddr...ng-the-manuals/?

In that article the journalist spoke to a supplier of headlights to the automotive industry. He writes:

In Frankfurt, I spent some time with Martin Haub, head of R&D at supplier Valeo. .... Valeo is a technology leader on headlight systems, and Haub boldly precicts that from 2016 onwards, xenon headlights will be replaced by LEDs. While Haub has little doubt that the HID, as we know it, is doomed, the question remains whether halogen light will eventually become relegated to the dust bin. “I am convinced that we will see this moment. In the long run, LEDs will become the cheapest light source. They will dominate the market,†says Haub.

Though I can't remember the Valeo stand, Dekra had an interesting stand at the Frankfurt show. They had fully working headlights installed with toggle switches next to them to switch on the various functions, dipped beam, high beam, DRL, mimic cornering lights (with the little silver steering wheel) and as you can see on the right of this picture there is a little model car which you could "load" at the back to signify a caravan or whatever and you could see how the lights move up and down. The headlight is that of the new Mercedes CLS.

Our newest buses have LED running lights and LED internal lighting. I'm sure we'll have LED headlights before long.

John

Who remembers tungsten headlamps????

Me, me, me!

I bought a new Ford Escort in 1976 (ish) and immediately replaced the sealed beam tungsten headlamps with Halogen H4 bulbed Cibies that had a lever at the back to twist the bulb for a UK/Continental beam pattern!

On my mountain bike I've gone from Halogen to Xenon To HID (expensive!) to LED. LEDs are by far the best and now appearing in many motors (R8, A6/A7, Lexus, Prius etc) so won't be long everyhwere as they offer a CO2 advantage. Maybe next will be OLEDs as they use even less power, just need the intensity....

Cibies that had a lever at the back to twist the bulb for a UK/Continental beam pattern!

So that's what the lever was for?

Me, me, me!

I bought a new Ford Escort in 1976 (ish) and immediately replaced the sealed beam tungsten headlamps with Halogen H4 bulbed Cibies that had a lever at the back to twist the bulb for a UK/Continental beam pattern!

That makes us BOTH old then

Thanks, so not something illegal like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Car-H4-120-SMD-LED-Head-Light-Headlight-Bulb-Lamp-12V-/270826301472?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f0e816820

Hmmmmmm........wonder if these would fit my Cibie Biodes :evil:

Hmmm maybe it won't even get LED lights! BMW seems to think we will have LASER lights in 2 to 3 years!!!!!

http://www.insideline.com/bmw/bmw-to-introduce-laser-lighting-within-2-3-years.html

Just the Facts:

• BMW is set to introduce laser lighting technology within the next 2-3 years.
• Laser lighting tech replaces LEDs and is more efficient.
• The technology offers greater freedom of design.
• It uses a photonic process to create white light.

MUNICH, Germany — BMW is set to introduce laser lighting technology within the next 2-3 years. Hanafi Abdul, BMW's optical systems designer, told Inside Line the technology is ready for production and that it is waiting for the correct application.

The technology made its first public appearance on the i8 supercar concept, but Abdul admitted it might debut before the production i8 appears in 2013.

Laser lighting offers a number of key advantages over LEDs. BMW claims its system, developed with Nichia in Japan, is 1,000 times brighter and 100 times smaller than the traditional square cells used in LED lighting. With no need for traditional headlights, this could have a dramatic impact on the styling of future BMWs.

The second benefit is efficiency. Abdul says a laser is twice as efficient as an equivalent LED system, which would have a significant impact on fuel consumption.

The technology uses a photonic process. Gallium nitride (GaN) is employed to create a blue light, which is turned into white light with the aid of a phosphor disc. It is already used in medical and military applications, and Abdul says there are no safety or legislative concerns providing a Class 1 laser is used. The system has a life of 10,000 hours.

How many times have we been told not to look directly into a laser? Even one of those little pen pointers.

Just imagine driving down the road towards a car with poorly adjusted laser headlamps.

Burnt retinas anyone?

Yup, I knows they'll have it sorted by the time they go into production but just think about the aftermarket kits that are bound to be available at much less cost because of cheaper construction and poorer quality control.