High Intensity Discharge Headlight Availability Grows 25%

High Intensity Discharge Lighting headlamp technology continues to become more commonplace, with a recent report stating that some 25% of 2005 model year introductions being equipped with the system.
According to the Motor Vehicle Lighting Council (MVLC) there are a total of 95 vehicle models equipped with HID headlights being sold in North America for the 2005 model year — up 25% from 75 models for 2004.
The total for the 2005 model year includes 41 new vehicles available with HID headlights — making this advanced lighting technology available to a larger segment of motorists. A list of 2005 model year vehicles equipped with HID headlights, according to the MVLC, is available at http://www.mvlc.info.
“As consumers become more informed about the significant safety benefits of the technology, their demand for HID headlights continues to increase,” said Daniel R. Robusto, chairman of MVLC and president and chief operating officer of North American Lighting, Inc. “The MVLC is optimistic that as more vehicles are equipped with HID headlights, the estimated 2,300 pedestrian fatalities that result from poor night visibility in the United States each year will likely decrease.”
Consumers value the HID technology, Robusto said. In a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive — a market research firm based in Rochester, N.Y. — HID headlights ranked No. 2 on a list of top 10 automotive technologies consumers would like to purchase for their next vehicle.
HID headlights were introduced in the mid-1990s in Europe and Japan and first appeared on luxury and performance vehicles. HID headlights use advanced lighting technology to create a bluish-white light that offers up to 70% more light output than standard halogen headlights with less electrical consumption.
The Motor Vehicle Lighting Council (MVLC) is a coalition of the leading global automotive lighting and component manufacturers and related education and research institutions committed to bringing new lighting advancements to market in order to increase vehicle performance and vehicle and pedestrian safety.
The Council — a product line group of MEMA — supports ongoing research initiatives to improve the understanding of headlight glare and to inform the motoring public on lighting issues and emerging technologies.