German supplier Osram is equipping BMW 7-series sedans with laser headlight modules, marking a move to the mass-market for the technology.
Osram pioneered the use of laser modules in car headlights, which are smaller, brighter and more energy-efficient than LED headlamps and is the only company so far to offer a complete laser module for automakers. The first were installed in 2014 in BMW’s i8 plug-in hybrid supercar and Audi’s R8 LMX sports car.
Automotive lighting is a key strength of German lighting group Osram, which announced an unexpected and expensive move into the general LED lighting market for homes and streets in November 2015.
This laser boost to the high beam offers the greatest range currently available – up to 600 meters (656 yards). This is all well and good, but in ASEAN city commuting with high traffic accidents, the replacement costs and the issue of stone chip breakages makes having this high tech headlamps daunting. BMW is heavily promoting their laser headlamps on all the new 7-Series communication but we wonder what the replacement costs will be when a fender bender occurs.
