How Laser Headlights Died In The US
Automotive headlights started out burning acetylene, before regular electric lightbulbs made them obsolete. In due time, halogen bulbs took over, before the industry began to explore even newer technologies like HID lamps for greater brightness. Laser headlights stood as the next leap forward, promising greater visibility and better light distribution.
Only, the fairytale didn’t last. Just over a decade after laser headlights hit the market, they’re already being abandoned by the manufacturers that brought them to fruition. Laser headlights would end up fighting with one hand behind their back, and ultimately became irrelevant before they ever became the norm.
Bright Lights
Laser headlights were first announced by BMW in 2013, with the German company promising the technology would be available on its new halo car, the i8. Fellow German rivals Audi would end up pipping the Bavarians to the punch, launching the limited-production Audi R8 LMX with laser headlights just months before the i8 entered production. Both brands would later bring the technology to a range of luxury models, including sedans and SUVs.
The prime selling point of laser headlights was that they could project a very bright, very focused beam a long way down the road. As we’ve explored previously, they achieved this by using blue lasers to illuminate yellow phosphors, creating a vibrant white light that could be bounced off a reflector and directed up to 600 m ahead of the vehicle. They weren’t so useful for low-beams, with that duty usually passed off to LEDs. However, they were perfect to serve as an ultra-efficient long-throw high beam that wouldn’t disrupt other road users, albeit with the aid of steerable headlamp assemblies and camera-based tracking systems.
Laser headlights were more expensive to produce, but were also far more capable than any conventional bulb in terms of throw distance. They were also more compact than just about any other automotive lighting technology, giving automotive designers far more freedom when creating a car’s front end. They were even able to outperform LEDs in the efficiency stakes. And yet, both Audi and BMW would come to abandon the technology.
The culprit? Regulations. In particular, headlight rules enforced in the United States. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard rule 108 deems that headlight intensity must not exceed 150,000 candela, while beam range must not exceed 250 meters. These rules effectively mean that laser headlights can’t outperform older technologies without falling afoul of US regulations. The rules stand in stark contrast to European regulations, which allow headlights to reach up to 430,000 candela. In an echo of the sealed beam era, US regulations were once again stymying European innovation by being firmly stuck in the past.
Of course, US regulations don’t apply everywhere. European automakers could have kept pursuing laser headlight technology, however, other factors have also come into play. LED headlight technology has continued to improve, with newer models improving brightness and light distribution. Adaptive matrix LED headlights also allow sections of the headlight beam to be turned on and off at will to provide the best illumination without dazzling other road users.
To that end, laser headlights are facing decline. While a few models in the Audi and BMW lineups still feature the headlights, both automakers are phasing them out for the future. Speaking on the matter last year, BMW’s large-car product manager, Andreas Suhrer, noted that solely LED-based designs were the future. “At the moment, we still have laser lighting on the G26 and the X7, but we don’t have future plans,” Suhrer stated. “The G60 and G61 do not have it, and the new 7 Series does not have it. I don’t think it’s completely done, but for the next models, we are making the LED Matrix lights our focus. The laser lights are pretty good with absolute range but the latest generation of Matrix LED lights does a better distribution.” Meanwhile, Audi released statements in 2024 noting that there were no plans to implement laser lighting modules in future product.
Ultimately, laser headlights were an expensive, fancy solution to a minor problem. Better high beams are surely a good thing, but given how rarely most motorists use them, they’re hardly a critical feature. Combine their high price and limited usability with the fact that one of the world’s largest car markets just made them useless, and it hardly made sense for Audi or BMW to continue pursuing this unique technology. They will go down as a luxury car curio, to be written about by bloggers every few decades as a reminder of what was once deemed cutting edge.