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Dazzling lighting systems
Over the years, headlamps have become style statements
By Bob English
Thursday, August 21, 2003
If the eyes are the windows to the soul then the latest high-tech headlamps might be considered their automotive counterparts as they allow us a look into the minds of today's stylists.
At the dawning of the automotive era more than a hundred years ago, automotive lighting was just beginning a very long development process and the would-be 'stylist' would wait in the wings for almost half a century before becoming an important part of the automotive design process. And even then he'd have to wait some additional years before headlamp advances allowed him any real design freedom in this area.
Lighting on pioneer automobiles was first by oil lamp, then by more powerful acetylene gas lighting units. They were so effective in fact that the Zeiss optical firm developed a movable parabolic mirror dipping system. The main reflectors were round and this "style" continued with the electric lighting systems that followed and were in universal use by the late 1920s.
Where you put them offered a little design creativity. The Benz Velo of 1893 had a pair of round oil lamps mounted up beside its bench type seat, but most automotive pioneers opted for bolting their round headlamps at the front of the car, usually nestled between radiator and fender. If the car was low powered and not very fast, small lamps would do, but if it was a big, potent machine the size of the headlamps went up in proportion. Some were truly magnificent nickel or chrome-plated creations that wouldn't have been out of place as searchlights on the bridge of a battleship. By the 1930s, all-enveloping body styles were being created by the first generations of automotive stylists and the headlamps, still round, were being incorporated into the leading edges of the fenders. And that's pretty much how it stood until the 1950s when the now full-fledge stylists of the day began to play with four headlamp displays, either arranged horizontally, stacked vertically or at an angle as on the 1958 Lincoln Capri. They even, on occasion, used three with one stuck in the centre of the grille, rotating with the steering wheel as an early form of today's Adaptive Forward Lighting technology. Sometimes they were hidden, flipping and folding into and out of sight as with some '60s Lotus and Corvette designs (already done on the Cord of 1937 incidentally). Other times they were hidden behind panels or sections of the grille that slid out of the way to reveal them like those used on the 1969 Mercury Marquis Brougham.
This round lamp status quo was maintained (on this continent anyway) by U.S. legislation that called for only round, non-halogen, sealed beams to be used. This changed in 1975 when square, non-halogen, sealed beams were allowed, providing stylists with at least one more shape to play with. Canadian auto regulations are, for the most part, harmonized with those in the U.S.
It wasn't until 1985 that European-based lighting standards were adopted and this finally allowed headlamp technology to shine, and gave the stylists real freedom for the first time.
European carmakers followed up the development of halogen lamps (a low-pressure gas, bright light technology) with High Intensity Discharge (HID) systems and sophisticated reflectors and optics to make use of the improved light output and quality. These systems employ Xenon gas and an electric arc rather than a heated filament, and because of their brightness, sharp focus and range, European regulations require them to be linked to the car's suspension through self-levelling systems to avoid blinding oncoming drivers. They were initially limited to low beam use, but now are being used for high-beams by makers such as BMW thanks to movable covers (not unlike the Zeiss device of long ago) to control light output. Small diameter, 70 mm, projector-type headlamp lenses are also becoming more common.
With new light sources available and computer-designed optics to control their output, automotive lighting units could be made much more compact, which allowed designers to work with the lighting technical types to create some, if you'll excuse the expression, dazzling designs.
DaimlerChrysler says the new units on its E-class, which move away from the previous reflector system, have not come about purely for styling reasons, although it is true the projection-beam headlamp takes up much less space at the front of the vehicle, offering the designers more stylistic scope. But the increase in lighting power is just as decisive, with an increase of 10 per cent with the halogen version and no less than 50 per cent with the bi-Xenon. Style and substance, can't beat that.
These small units have the capability of standing alone, which would allow for a very clean looking front end, or can be incorporated into headlamp units with clear polycarbonate coverings. This is another feature that the U.S. banned for a long time, and which made the original Jaguar E-Type's sleek nose look complete. Most stylists are opting for the latter, with carefully shaped, bright and sparkly units that blend into front end styling for a sleek, integrated look that also helps aerodynamics.
They can take a traditional approach, as Mercedes-Benz has done with its four integrated, lozenge shaped lamps, a techy look like BMW's four-lamp cluster or go to the other extreme as Infiniti has with the "Gatling gun" lighting array on the nose of the Q45.
Even the customizers have gotten in on the new-age headlamp act by offering small LED lighting kits that fit into the headlamp cluster and reflect off the inner surface of the plastic to give the whole unit a glow in the colour of your choice. This is much like the effect motorists in the '20s and '30s got from the lighted Lalique crystal hood ornaments that were popular at the time.
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