BMW i8 will be First Production Car to use Laser Headlights

When the new BMW i8 goes on sale this spring in Europe, it will be the first car in the world to use laser headlights, but chances are when it gets to the U.S. in July, NHTSA regulations will deprive American buyers of headlight technology that will effectively double the range of the i8’s standard LED high beams. 

The i8’s revolutionary road illumination tech means BMW will beat Audi, the automaker next in line to implement laser headlights.

An Audi representative at the 2014 International CES told me if laser headlights do well this year at Le Mans on the R18 e-tron quattro race car, the company will move forward by introducing laser headlights on an Audi production model early in 2015, so right now it looks like BMW is about a year ahead in this technology drag race. Back on this side of the Atlantic, it’s anyone’s guess as to which automaker will be the first to offer laser headlights in America.

If you think about it, laser illumination is perfect for people who drive BMWs – it’s been scientifically proven BMW drivers are the most road-rage prone demographic. If you are a road rage enthusiast, imagine how well it would serve you to have lasers on the front of your car. Granted, BMW has designed its laser lighting to be safe to other drivers, pedestrians, etc., but still, the idea of lasers shooting off the front of your vehicle has got to give you a good feeling. If you’re familiar with the early Need for Speed games, you may recall that really fun cheat code that allowed you to blow other cars off the road by simply honking your horn. When they eventually become available, laser headlights may give you a similar feeling.

Source [Road & Track]