Active-beam headlights are finally coming to America

When Audi’s Q9 SUV goes on sale here later this year, it will offer the automaker’s latest adaptive beam headlights, which provide better, brighter illumination while limiting glare for both the driver and other road users. The technology has been common in Europe and Japan, but it is only now debuting on American roads after years of lobbying and lengthy testing to meet new federal rules.

The United States fell behind because 1960s-era regulations allowed only low- and high-beam headlights. Automakers including Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and Volvo pushed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to let them bring more modern lighting to the market, first proposing laser high beams and later promoting adaptive driving-beam systems.

Adaptive driving beams use multipixel LEDs, and by turning some of those pixels off the beam can be shaped to mask light and selectively dim oncoming vehicles instead of forcing the driver to switch to low beams.

United States

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