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Adaptive Headlights Have Caught The Attention Of IIHS

(Credit: Volvo)

Car Safety

Adaptive Headlights Have Caught The Attention Of IIHS

2016 Volvo XC90

2016 Volvo XC90 (Credit: Volvo)

Soon enough, for a vehicle to be named a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ by IIHS, it would have to pass a test for adaptive headlights. The safety organization is adding a headlights rating program, something that is sorely needed in the changing automotive landscape.

This new move will likely push adaptive headlight technology into the mainstream. That means you average Chevrolet or Honda will probably have some version of it. To help ensure manufacturers don’t go with some cut-rate setup, IIHS will be keeping them honest with the testing.

In an interview with Automotive News, the chief researcher for IIHS said that there’s evidence adaptive headlights actually cut down on accidents. They come in handy on winding roads where street lights are few or completely nonexistent, helping to illuminating what’s just around the bend.

Adaptive headlights can do more than turn with the steering wheel. They also automatically make adjustments for dips or other imperfections in the road. Some automatically dim the brights when other vehicles are detected ahead, helping to guard against dazzling other drivers.

Right now, IIHS is evaluating a new standalone test for headlights. If the venture goes well, the new test would become part of the organization’s vehicle assessments possibly in 2017. This move has been fueled by data provided by insurance companies, which indicate that adaptive lighting technology is the most influential safety innovation on the market today. One study found that it results in about a 10 percent dip in property damage insurance claims.

This means that the next new car you purchase likely will come with some version of adaptive lights. Thanks to the upcoming IIHS testing standards, the technology should function well, at least if the vehicle is a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+. Consumers will also be able to go to the IIHS site and read up on the lighting test results, just like they can with the current tests right now.

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