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An Auto Headlight or an auto headlamp is a lamp attached to the front side of a vehicle (cars or two-wheelers). Its main function is to illuminate the road in the dark or in low visibility conditions.
While two-wheeler headlights are single, car headlights come in pairs and are powered by electricity. Located on the front-end of the vehicle, they produce low as well as high beams.
A brief description on these two kinds of beams is as follows:
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High Beams: They maximize the vision at night or in low visibility by casting a strong beam ahead. Also called as main beams, full beams or driving beams, keeping them switched on at night is of utmost importance for the safety of the driver, the occupants of the car and pedestrians too.
Low Beams: They emphasize on the downward visibility of the road. Also known as dipped beams, they facilitate clear downward visibility. Such kinds of beams also reduce excessive glare or back dazzle significantly.
Some of the popular form of auto headlights available is as follows:
Reflector Optics: Optic reflectors are usually made from injection molded or compression molded plastics. Though one might come across glass or metallic optic reflectors as well. Placed inside the reflector itself, its main function is to produce a proper light distribution pattern.
Lens Optics: Either an arc or a filament is placed at or nearby the focus of the reflector. For the desired light distribution pattern, the light beam is divided in lateral and vertical directions. This is achieved by the use of Fresnel lens and prism optics that are molded into the headlight lens.
Projector Optics: They consist of a condenser lens which is fitted at the front of the lamp and a filament that is placed at the focus.
HID Headlamps: High intensity discharge headlamps or popularly called as HID headlamps or xenon headlights contain xenon gas in them. The xenon gas facilitates minimum production of light at startup and eventually accelerates the warm-up time. A proper lens cleaning system and an automatic beam leveling control are a must for this kind of headlights. This helps to ensure keeping a check on the high levels of glare to other vehicles on the road, thereby averting possibility of an accident.
Though many different bulb types are available in the market, yet only the prescribed type should be used for a particular kind of vehicle for its longevity. Furthermore, when the filament of the bulb burns out, a bulb replacement is done. And last but not the least, the car headlights must be checked on a regular basis to ensure proper intensity of the beam.
automobileIndia.com provides information on Auto Headlights and other aspects of automobiles in India.
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