The India-bound BMW i8 will be the first production car to be sold with advanced laser headlights when it goes on sale by the end of the year.
The new laser headlights have been developed in partnership with German lighting specialist Osram, and are set to become an option on BMW’s new plug-in hybrid sportscar. They are claimed to provide vastly improved lighting intensity over existing LED lights by offering a more constant beam of light. These laser headlights will feature as standard on the i8.
BMW lighting manager Thomas Hausmann says the new laser headlamps operate at up to 344 lux in high beam mode, as opposed to the 180 lux offered by the latest LED headlamps.
In comparison, older Xenon headlamps turn out 120 lux, while conventional halogen headlamps boast a maximum 100 lux in high beam mode.
The light created by the new headlamp is emitted by laser diodes and a fluorescent phosphorous material. It is described as being monochromatic, meaning the light waves possess the same length. This leads to a greater luminance and intensity, particularly over longer distances.
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