HID headlights are relatively new, especially to the United States market, and use a more efficient light bulb than conventional headlights. In the following article I will discuss a brief history of these headlights and some other interesting facts and misconceptions about them. I will also take a look at some of the advantages of using HID headlights.
HID headlights were first used by BMW in 1991 in their BMW 7 series. HID headlights quickly became the preferred headlights used in European and Japanese automobiles but this change has been much slower in the United States. In 1996, Lincoln was the first US automaker to use HID headlights which they used in their Lincoln Mark VIII automobiles.
So what exactly is HID lighting? HID bulbs use arc lamp technology. Arc lamp technology uses higher voltage electricity to create an arc between 2 electrodes. This technology has been used for many years but for industrial applications. In contrast, conventional lights pass electricity through a thin wire filament.
There are some common misconceptions associated with HID lighting and headlights. Many people believe that the higher the color temperature (indicated...