LED Headlights revisited Options

[rjames]

I know that there are already a bunch of threads on recommendations for replacement headlights for our cars, but as I am currently wading through all of it I can find in search of a quality LED replacement that isn't just 'brighter' than stock, but also emits an effective and safe light beam pattern, I thought I'd share where I'm at so far.

One of the other threads I found here suggested contacting lighting expert Daniel Stern of https://www.danielsternlighting.com/ for a recommendation. I contacted him and he recommended the Philips H6024 LEDs. These looked great on the car, but unfortunately the lens stuck out farther than stock and the headlight buckets wouldn't close without rubbing against the 'eyebrows'.

I circled back with Daniel and he then recommended the JW Speaker 0554941 lights instead.
Not cheap, and definitely further away from the stock look. I'm still considering options, but wanted to share all of this, plus an interview that Jalopnik did with Daniel Stern that provides some good information on LED headlights for others that might be interested in some expert info on this topic.

[gereed75]

Race only is a liability limiting disclaimer

[Superhawk996]

Race only is a liability limiting disclaimer

It’s more of an admission that the product is not DOT compliant and otherwise not legal for on-road use.

DOT compliance is sort of like building code, it’s just a bare minimum - that keeps contractors from getting sued as long as they comply.

In this case of non-DOT it’s sort of the opposite. the supplier admits it is non-compliant for on-road use and supposedly shifts the “liability” to the end user knowing full well that the chance of the user getting pulled over for excessive light glare is non-existent. And in the event the end-user did get pulled over - the supplier is off the hook since they didn’t mark it as DOT compliant. Win - win for everyone except the other road users that are the oncoming traffic getting glared. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hissyfit.gif)

The problem with non-DOT lighting is you have no idea why it isn’t compliant. Poor beam pattern? Too much glare for oncoming traffic? Bad optics? Who knows. Could be that it isn’t capable of even meeting the bare minimums . . . Or it could be the manufacturer just didn’t want to pay to test and certify it. You’ll never know which it is. With something like a non-DOT muffler - you know . . . It’s too loud. Lighting isn’t that simple.

The bigger problem is NHTSA & US DOT is a clown show. There are far better lighting technologies that have been available in Europe like active matrix LED and adaptive shadowing for oncoming vehicles.

Problem is that the US is perpetually behind the 8 ball. Same as when H4 lighting was widely available in Europe but US was stuck with sealed beams thanks to DOT regulation.

Toyota petitioned NHTSA back in something like 2013 to allow active headlight technology. It was just approved in Feb 2022. Only a decade behind the rest of the world. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)
https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/nhtsa-...0new%20vehicles.