Headlights

[scott miller]

>In the 80s and early 90s, DOT simply hadn't kept pace with the advances
>in automotive lighting technologies, whereas the European countries
>have.  Add a bit of bureaucracy, complacency, and "our sh*t smells
>better than others" attitude to the mix, and that is what happens.

There were definitely many reasons, but the not keeping up was intentional
to benefit our industries.  I remember the big debates raging in the car
magazines about the push to rectangular headlights, then the push to
non-sealed aero headlights.  "Foreign" cars that looked beautiful overseas
came to our shores with oversized bumpers, and afterthought grills to
accomodate round, sealed-beam headlights.  They were not pretty or
functional.  I worked at a place that made 90% of the worlds automotive
mirrors, plus windows, digital displays, some lighting.  We were in the
thick of all those regulations, stuck between Washington and Detroit, Japan
and Germany.  Things changed rapidly when foreign companies got more serious
about designing for the US market, and played our game better than we did.

Our driving style and different terrain were unlikely to figure in the
regulations.  Improved headlights are better for the driver and oncoming
traffic, no matter the driving style or terrain.  They also look better and
improve mileage.  There were no technical or practical downsides.

Scott Miller
Holland, MI
'90 200qa

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