Mercedes-Benz Multibeam LED Headlight Tech to Adopt 84 LEDs in 2015

It may not sound terribly exciting, but it all boils down to a 84 LED headlamp. Up to this point, Mercedes-Benz’s most highly advanced lighting system is the one that equips the CLS model. As simply put as possible, the so-called Multibeam LED of the current CLS family features a high beam module incorporating 24 LEDs.

Shifting to an 84-LED module would provide even better light quality and safety at night according to the Stuttgart-based automaker. In the medium term, as many as 1024 pixels per LED will enable optimum levels of illumination of the road at every speed and in all traffic conditions. To boot, Mercedes-Benz says that’ll be possible without dazzling other drivers.

You might be wondering why Merc didn’t roll with the laser headlights crowd (aka Audi and BMW)

As it’s often the case with cutting-edge tech, laser illumination is still expensive for road-going applications. In comparison, LED headlights isn’t a new concept, which translates in lower costs and a manageable degree of complexity. Mercedes-Benz announced it will be presenting the new Multibeam LED tech with an 84-LED gridded light source sometime next year on an experimental vehicle.

Thanks to higher resolution of the light output, Mercedes-Benz says this will offer even better protection from dazzling to the incoming traffic, all while improving illumination of the road ahead. The soon-to-be-presented piece of kit will be the first to digitally implement high and low beam functions without using the mechanical actuators of yesteryear.

"Enabling ideal visibility in all driving situations without dazzling other road users has always been our credo in developing new light systems. We are pursuing the further development of LED technology to this end,” says Uwe Kostanzer, head of Light Systems Development at Mercedes-Benz.