Surprise! JKs aren't the only vehicles with louse headlights.

[Banshee]

http://www.news.com.au/technology/in...c51d619d6f5f81

Are your car’s headlights keeping you in the dark?

The beams on most cars aren’t doing a good job of helping drivers see down a dark road at night, according to rating of more than 30 midsized car models.

Only one model, the top trim level Toyota Prius V, earned a grade of good. Of the rest, about one-third were rated acceptable, one-third were marginal and one-third were poor.

The difference between the top- and bottom-rated models for a driver’s ability to see down a dark road was substantial, according to the study released Wednesday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an industry-funded organisation that evaluates automotive safety.

The LED headlights in the Prius V tested were able to illuminate a straight roadway sufficiently to see a pedestrian, bicyclist or obstacle up to 118 metres ahead. At that distance, the vehicle could be travelling up to 112km/ph and still have time to stop.

But halogen headlights in the BMW 3 series, the worst-rated models, were able to illuminate only 39 metres ahead. At that distance, the vehicle couldn’t be travelling at more than 35mph and still have time to stop, according to the study.

That’s important because of the more than 32,000 traffic deaths last year, about one-half occurred at night or during dawn and dusk when visibility is lower.

The reason for the big performance gap is that there’s a lot more to how well headlights help drivers see than merely the brightness of the bulb or even what type of bulb is used, said David Zuby, the institute’s executive vice president and chief researcher.

“We found the same light bulb, depending upon what reflector or lens it’s paired with and how it’s mounted on the vehicle, can give you very different visibility down the road,” he said.

It gets more complicated.

[Nanook]

I was reading this article myself this morning and all I could think of was how bad the Jeep's lights were.

I've mostly owed Australian built cars since a teenager and one thing they had over other vehicles built overseas are great headlights.

[Tyvokka]

Lol, great article. It goes on to say that the Prius is the best car..

They can keep it.

I dont really have a problem with the current headlights tbh.

However I do have a problem with people with upgraded super bright HIDs in headlamps which they weren't designed for, that project high powered light onto oncoming vehicles. I just flash them back with my spotties to return the favour..

[AusTac]

My "11 stock jk headlights arn't that bad, coming from a 14" mazda 3 previously i was surprised how much better they were than the mazda not great, but better

[Banshee]

It doesn't say the Prius is the best car. Just that when you take the top spec & add all the options you get the "Advanced technology pack", which adds the best headlights on any of the vehicles they tested. The stock one was also pretty average...

[carvesdodo]

Since my nighttime driving issues ... are much the same as my daytime driving issues,


... I think that article is telling me ... I only need a BMW with 39m range headlights .. ..









I do wish cows and roos, had reflectors like cars tho ... so I could see them more easily,

... when they are in the middle of the road - hundreds of yards in front of me.


If that mob really is a "Insurance Institute for Highway Safety",

... They oughta be lobbying the govt to either, fence or clear ... the roadside zoos.

[Tyvokka]

Originally Posted by Banshee

It doesn't say the Prius is the best car. Just that when you take the top spec & add all the options you get the "Advanced technology pack", which adds the best headlights on any of the vehicles they tested. The stock one was also pretty average...

Pretty sure that's what it said at the bottum of the piccyture