Xenon Lamps - BMW M5 2001 Manual

Xenon lamps

Xenon lamps illuminate the side and
front areas of the vehicle with signifi-
cantly more brightness and uniformity
than traditional halogen lamps.
In a xenon lamp, an electric arc replaces
the filament in order to generate intense
illumination. A gas mixture in a quartz
glass tube with metal vapor is ignited by
a high electric voltage. The arc that is
generated is then sustained by a lower
voltage. When the lamp is turned on
there is a brief warm-up period.
Maximum brightness is attained in
approx. 15 seconds.
Xenon lamps improve the driver's
visibility and orientation to the road,
especially in adverse weather condi-
tions and driving situations (driving at
night in heavy rain or through road
repair areas where there are no lane
markers, for instance).
Vehicles with xenon lamps are
equipped with automatic headlamp
range control. As a result, the highway
is always optimally lighted, regardless
of load conditions, and drivers in
oncoming traffic are not blinded.
Xenon lamps make a significant contri-
bution to highway safety since other
highway users, or bicyclists and motor-
cyclists in the right lane, and pedes-
trians are more easily detected.
Online Edition for Part No. 01 41 0 155 429 - © 09/00 BMW AG
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