Back in 2003, Audi presented at the Salon
de Frankfurt what would be the germ of the Audi R8, a concept called Audi Le
Mans quattro . In addition to the spectacular design, highlighted the Curved LED Light Bars that equipped , a
technological advancement that has gradually been expanding and now is a highly
valued option in high-end cars .
I grab the glove that DB9 user threw me
during the last part of our test of the Audi A6 hybrid , which asked for a
review of the Curved LED Light Bars that equipped our test unit. Let's see what
these headlights are and how they work , in addition to reviewing the models
that currently offer this type of headlights as an option or as standard.
What is an LED?
I'm not going to go into depth to explain
what an LED is , but I think it's always good to know how the basic component
of these types of headlights works. LED stands for Light-Emitting Diode , a
light-emitting diode in Spanish. His own name, then, tells us in broad strokes
what an LED is.
The diodes are electronic parts made of
semiconductor materials whose basic property useful for electronics is to
conduct electricity when the current is applied in one direction, blocking
current when it is applied in the opposite direction. The LEDs in addition to
having this basic property, which a priori is not very useful at the time of
giving light, have the property of emitting light when the current flows
through them .
Applying the LEDs to the
headlights of a car
LEDs have two characteristics that make
them desirable when forming part of a lighthouse. On the one hand we have that
the LEDs have hardly any light inertia , that is to say, the time that elapses
between when the LED starts to light and is emitting light at 100% of its
capacity is very low, in fact practically negligible. This time is
insignificant when compared to the inertia of the halogen or xenon headlamps.
On the other side we have that the LEDs
have the characteristic of consuming very little energy in relation to the
amount of light emitted. Being very simple electrical components, in which the
light does not come from an incandescent filament or an electric arc, energy is
scarcely lost in the form of heat, transforming much of the electricity that
the diode travels in light and with limited heating.
For the lighting of a car you need a fairly
powerful light source. The problem with LEDs is that although they are very
efficient , they usually emit a small amount of light, so for automotive use
LED groups of the highest possible power are used, but avoiding larger ones
that normally require additional systems of LED. cooling by dissipaters.
Another problem with LEDs is that there is
nothing more than experimental LEDs that emit the white light that is desired
in the automotive industry. LEDs are used with yellow phosphorescent elements
that convert ultraviolet or blue LED light into white light, such as
fluorescents or energy-saving light bulbs in our homes. This makes the Curved LED Light Bars have some
perceptible hue in bluish colors , although the light is predominantly white.
The point of light that generates an LED is
of a very small size, so they are encapsulated in a small cover of transparent
plastic or other colors, which serve to protect the electronic component from
bumps and foreign materials. The problem with these capsules is that they make
the light not exactly direct, it is diffuse, which means that a special work is
needed in the optics to direct the light to where it wants to be sent , that
is, to the road.
The
Curved LED Light Bars have an integrated electronic management system that
is responsible for controlling the functions and power of the headlight. There
are several types of Curved LED Light Bars , although the most common are
multifarious reflectors and projectors . The first type uses several reflectors
of small size, each one equipped with an LED that can be oriented towards the
road (of LED seen) or towards the reflector (of hidden LED).
Adaptive Opel lighting
with LED
Properly orienting these reflectors and
lighting groups of LEDs together is how the various types of beam are obtained
, such as short, long or anti-fog . Even there are already manufacturers that
will apply this system to develop adaptive lighting systems by switching off or
switching on the various reflectors of the headlight . This type of headlights
are those used for example in Audi (like this A6 hybrid ) or Seat ( as in the
Seat Leon ). These reflectors are sometimes covered by a scattering glass to
distribute light better.
The other type of Curved LED Light Bars
that exist are those of ellipsoidal projector . These carry groups of LEDs on
the inside, behind a lens that is responsible for orienting the light emitted
by the LEDs inside the headlight. This type of projector headlight is used by
manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes or Lexus, although in some cases they use
combined reflector and projector systems .
A very white light, a virtually
non-existent light inertia, a useful life that exceeds that of the car itself
and a very low energy consumption, these are the most notable and appreciable
characteristics of Curved LED Light Bars.
Its counter is that for the moment the cost of these advanced headlights is
still quite high .
Other LED lights in the
car
We are going to add a point here to the
article to talk about the rear LED lights and other LED lights that equip the
cars. In lights that are not the headlights of a car you do not need to focus
the light in a specific direction. This facilitates the implementation of the
diodes, since they do not require complex reflective surfaces or lenses.
It is becoming increasingly popular to use
LEDs on the turn signals, daytime running lights, side indicators and in
general on the various lights of the rear lights, many cars offer them as
standard and many others as an option. They have the enormous advantage, that
we mentioned before, of a useful life that is theoretically superior to the
useful life of the car , it is not necessary to change them, although like all
things, they can be damaged.
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