Xenon Lamps - BMW SERIE 5 SPORT WAGON 2001 Manual

Xenon lamps

*
The xenon lamps light up the side and
front areas of the vehicle with signifi-
cantly more brightness and uniformity
then the traditional halogen lamps.
In a xenon lamp, an electric arc
replaces the filament in order to gener-
ate 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, a brief
period is needed for the full beam
strength to build up. Maximum bright-
ness is attained in approx. 15 seconds.
Xenon lamps provide significantly
improved visibility, especially during
adverse weather conditions 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 on-
coming 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 pedestri-
ans are more easily detected.
Online Edition for Part No. 01 41 0 155 420 - © 01/01 BMW Group
215n