LED Lights Make Perfect DRLs

Lately you may have noticed an increasing number of cars with luminous "eyebrows" driving around.

That is because the European Union recently passed a directive making dedicated daytime running lights (DRL) a mandatory requirement on all new passenger cars and small delivery vehicles approved on or after the 7 February 2011. From August 2012 this will be extended to all buses and trucks as well.

What are DRL?

DRLs are bright, forward-facing lights situated alongside or beneath a car's existing headlamps and are designed to make a vehicle more conspicuous to other road users during the day.

Unlike regular headlamps, which can be switched on and off independently from the engine, DRLs come on automatically with the car's ignition and remain on while the engine is running. They can only be switched off again when the car's engine is off or the main headlamps are engaged.

DRLs are not a recent development. Sweden has required all motorists to drive with their headlights on all year round since 1977 and by 2006 12 European countries had introduced them in one form or another. The UK has never made it a requirement until now.

Fuel Consumption

One of the chief issues surrounding DRLs is additional fuel consumption.

DRLs draw their electricity from the car's alternator, which in turn results in greater fuel consumption. Not only is this more costly, but it also results in more CO2 emissions. Finding a light source that is both bright and efficient is therefore important.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) consume a fraction of the electricity needed by regular dipped-beam headlamps. A normal headlamp will use about 110 watts. DRLs using LED-based lighting only require 5-10 watts, therefore putting less strain on the car's alternator and resulting in less fuel consumption.

LED Bulbs also offer further advantages in that they last longer and produce a more directional light, making them more visible than typical headlamps.

The main purpose of DRLs is to improve the visibility of vehicles to other road users. By doing so the European Commission believes they will greatly reduce the number of casualties on European roads. According to one report, more than 35,000 people were killed on European roads in 2009, with many more left seriously injured.