Why You Need Adaptive Driving Beam Headlights
New cars may now come with this advanced headlight technology.
We've all been there: You're driving at night, squinting ahead, wishing you had more light to see the road, but you don't switch on your high beams because you don't want to blind oncoming drivers.
About a quarter of all driving in the United States takes place at night, but that's when 50 percent of driver fatalities and 77 percent of pedestrian deaths occur. Limited visibility is a big reason. Yet according to AAA research, 64 percent of American drivers do not regularly use their high beams.
There are ways to make the headlights themselves turn on their high beams when conditions are right. One technology—already available on many cars in the United States—turns on the higher setting automatically when sensors say it's safe to do so, then switches to low when necessary.
An even better alternative, adaptive driving beam (ADB) headlights, also adjust as you drive. But rather than switching to low when other vehicles approach, they alter the beam pattern to reduce glare for oncoming drivers without losing any forward lighting. The result: an increase in roadway illumination of up to 86 percent compared to standard lights.
While the technology was available for many years in Europe and Canada, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ruled in 2022 to allow automakers to install ADB headlights on new vehicles. ADB headlights are now one of many important safety features you should look for when shopping for a new car.
This article was first published in August 2019 and last updated in February 2023.