Motorists often find modern LED headlights too dazzling. With this in mind, our German partner club the ADAC compared several systems in order to find out if and how LED headlights really do dazzle and found that many LED headlights and rear lights do, in fact, cause unnecessarily glare. So-called ‘diode projection systems’ at the front emit a very bright light using a particularly small light source. LEDs require less space, which makes it possible to make the corresponding lights smaller and smaller. That said, this extremely bright little dot bothers a lot of drivers, who find it very unpleasant. The eye is then pushed to its limits, meaning that the glare can severely impair the vision, thus compromising the safety of road-users. The ADAC survey also showed that LED headlights didn’t necessarily have to dazzle. Technically, it is quite possible to reduce the glare using ‘reflector technology’, which is easier on the eye. The light from LEDs is first directed onto a reflector, which then forms the desired cone of light. A more even light then emerges from the projector, preventing road-users from looking directly at the dazzling LED. For this reason, the ADAC recommends that the focus be placed not on the design of beams and lights but rather on road safety and the installation of systems that emit the most homogeneous light possible. According to ADAC experts, a combination of the two systems would be ideal to achieve the desired function - the low-glare reflector technology for dipped headlights and combined diode projection for adaptive headlights. There are a few steps drivers can take to minimise glare as much as possible or even prevent it altogether:
The ACL assists you regardless of your mode of travel.