LED vs Laser Lights

As we mentioned in the article about the different types of headlights. Car headlights use two main forms of light production systems these days.

Ironically, the most advanced system present today uses a relatively older method. When compared to the runner-up. Which was essentially supposed to render that process obsolete.

Instead, in the last few years, the industry has done a 180 turn, as we move back to innovating in the original realm. Even as most car manufacturers are rushing to adopt the latter as the new standard.

We are of course talking about the key difference between LEDs and Laser Light systems. Which work on the principles of electroluminescence and chemiluminescence respectively.

As the name suggests, electroluminescence means producing light through the use of electricity. While chemiluminescence means producing light by triggering a chemical reaction.

Despite the difference in the end result. Both processes need some form of electricity to power them. As the chemiluminescence process is usually triggered by running an electric current through different gases and metals.

Let us take a closer look at both these systems, and how they approach this process. It will help us get a better idea of the advantages and disadvantages associated with both.

LED Lights

LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes. In layman’s terms, this refers to the semiconductor which helps produce the light. The LED system uses the most basic form of electroluminescence. By firing electrons towards positively charged holes in the semiconductor.

This process causes the release of energy as photons, which are particles of light. This is a pretty simple process, which doesn’t rely on any other material to cause the reaction.

Instead, the semiconductor itself is the reactant, while the electricity is the catalyst. This makes it a pretty energy-efficient system.

Since the process doesn’t result in the loss of a large amount of energy, in the form of heat. This is unfortunately a big side effect of older gas-based bulbs.

In a proper headlight housing, this system can produce enough light, to light up an area of up to 300 meters in front of the vehicle. This is almost twice the usable visibility, in comparison to halogen bulbs. Which were the global standard for chemical-based lighting. Before HID’s and Lasers came on the scene.

Laser Lights

As the name suggests, these modern systems use lasers to produce light. The thing to keep in mind is that it’s not the laser itself that produces the light we see.

Instead, the laser is simply used to energize a concentrated collection of phosphorus gas. Which in turn produces the bright light we associate with these kinds of headlights.

Thus, the process reverts back to the use of chemiluminescence. Which is essentially the process of producing light through a chemical reaction.

The light is then sent out through a standard reflector setup. Which can be further augmented through the use of projector lenses. Although we have yet to see such a system put in place. Considering how expensive it already is to create laser light systems.

While on paper, it is a similar process as halogen or HID bulbs. The end result, however, is vastly different. As these laser systems don’t suffer the same shortcomings of their predecessors. In terms of both the size of the system, as well as the energy required to power it.

Since the phosphorous chamber is a lot smaller than the old-school systems. Which were often used to store halogen and xenon gases in relatively older lighting rigs.

At the same time, the laser itself is a lot more efficient than the filaments that were often used before. In terms of both energy input and thermal output.

This clearly shows the massive evolution that these chemical processes have gone through. To be able to still be relevant in terms of light production.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Now that you know the basic premise behind both kinds of headlight setups. Let us take a look at the different advantages and disadvantages such setups have when compared to each other. Although we must admit, it may seem like a pretty one-sided argument, considering how these systems stack up.

1. Laser systems are a lot more efficient than LED bulbs. Even though LEDs are already pretty energy efficient. With the average LED using barely 10W of power. Modern lasers are still more effective, claiming to use only half that amount.

2. Laser systems also produce a lot more heat than LED bulbs. Since LEDs simply bypass the chemical process, they don’t produce the same amount of heat. While lasers still have to deal with the heat produced while energizing the gas.

Even though the heat is nowhere near the amount that was usually created by filament-based bulbs. It still requires a more complex cooling system to manage the same.

3. Laser headlights are still 10 times smaller than LED lights. Even though they require more components. Like a cooling system, a phosphorus chamber, and a laser. These components are still separate from each other. Therefore, they can be easily packed into more compact designs.

4. Laser headlights claim to produce up to 1000x the amount of light than LEDs. This is partially made possible by the lens system that helps concentrate the laser. By focusing all the potential energy in a small, dense beam. The amount of light lost in the process is greatly reduced.

Moreover, by using a lens to focus this beam directly through the phosphorus chamber. The system ensures that all the light produced is also released in a compact beam. Which can be better spread out by the reflectors, over a longer distance.

5. Laser headlights illuminate a large area ahead of the vehicle, as compared to LEDs. The average halogen bulb lights up an area up to 150 meters ahead of the vehicle. LEDs improve this by double, with an average lit-up area of around 300 meters.

But laser systems take it even further, by increasing the distance to nearly 600 meters. This is initially made possible by the use of modern lasers with more focused beams of light. A special lens helps make this laser light even denser. As well as the inclusion of modern reflector setups. Which can be easily re-designed for better performance. Thanks to the smaller size of the overall laser light assembly.

6. Laser lights are also a lot more expensive than LEDs. Even though LED’s are often considered a relatively new type of lighting system. It still has been around for long enough, that most large manufacturers like OSRAM have gotten the chance to establish large-scale production lines for them. This has helped the price of LEDs come down over time.

Laser light systems unfortunately are still in an experimental phase. As a result of which, only the most expensive cars from the most luxurious brands seem to feature them. We can hope that over time they too will become a bit cheaper. But it’s highly unlikely that they will ever go cheaper than LEDs. Which in themselves are still a lot more expensive than last-generation halogens.

We could have said something about the longevity of LED lights. But it is hard to make that point, considering we have so little long-term usage data on laser light systems. Once laser headlights start becoming more popular, we might be able to make a better prediction on whether they can be a long-term solution. For now, they seem to be pretty ahead of the curve. In terms of both the advantages, as well as the market itself. We’ll just have to wait until the car and component makers start to catch up. Who knows, by then we might invent yet another revolutionary lighting technology that beats both of these modern marvels.