Future BMWs will use lasers instead of LEDs in headlights. The new technology will save power and fuel for the cars, the company said.

What won’t happen is BMWs driving about with burning red lights in the front, setting fire to other road users. Instead, the laser beam will be converted by a fluorescent phosphor material inside the headlamp into a bright, white light. The resultant light won’t pose a risk to anybody. “The tiny size of the lasers open up a lot of possibilities,” CNet said. “Instead of a large, round piece of glass, a laser headlight could shine through the cross pieces of the car’s grille, and so remain hidden when not in use. The traditional dual-headlight configuration would also no longer be necessary, as a row of laser diodes could peek out from the front edge of the hood. As laser light is a coherent beam, it can be precisely shaped, and also changed at will. Instead of a separate high-beam lamp, lasers can be computer controlled to form a low-beam or high-beam pattern.  The first car to have the laser headlight technology will be the upcoming i8, a plug-in hybrid sports coupé. DM

Read more:

• BMW to fit cars with lasers in CNet;
• BMW to introduce laser headlights in GizMag.

Photo: REUTERS