Photo: Opel
We remember how cool the SEAT Leon looked thanks to its LED headlights. Then came Peugeot with its adaptive system for the 308 and now pretty much everybody is seeking to add this feature to the economy and compact car classes.
After the all-new Astra, Opel has introduced this feature to two other popular cars via mid-life facelifts. We are referring to the Mokka X, revealed in Geneva, and the Zafira, which is fresh from the printer.
And Opel isn't cutting corners to offer this function on affordable cars. The AFL LED (short for Adaptive Front Light LED) features nine individual services or lighting patterns such as Town Light, Country Light, and Stop Mode Light, which not only optimize visibility but also save energy.
How does it work? That's a good question. There aren't moving parts like on some Mercedes models. They don't turn the beams on or off either, just change them to pre-set lighting patterns.
For example, there is a Cornering setting, which switches on an additional left or right LED that illuminates the road in the direction of travel, depending on the steering angle or turn signal. It comes on either when you put on your indicators or when the steering is turned at speeds under 40 km/h.
At speeds of 55 km/h or less there are two main settings, Country Light, which extends the range, and Town Light. There is also a Maneuver Light setting that works at speeds under 7 km/h when you are doing some parking.
“The widespread availability of intelligent LED technology is the best way to significantly reduce the risks of nighttime driving,” says William F. Bertagni, Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Europe at Opel. “The new Opel Zafira and the Opel Mokka X with their optional AFL LED headlamps are important steps towards realizing this potential.”
And Opel isn't cutting corners to offer this function on affordable cars. The AFL LED (short for Adaptive Front Light LED) features nine individual services or lighting patterns such as Town Light, Country Light, and Stop Mode Light, which not only optimize visibility but also save energy.
How does it work? That's a good question. There aren't moving parts like on some Mercedes models. They don't turn the beams on or off either, just change them to pre-set lighting patterns.
For example, there is a Cornering setting, which switches on an additional left or right LED that illuminates the road in the direction of travel, depending on the steering angle or turn signal. It comes on either when you put on your indicators or when the steering is turned at speeds under 40 km/h.
At speeds of 55 km/h or less there are two main settings, Country Light, which extends the range, and Town Light. There is also a Maneuver Light setting that works at speeds under 7 km/h when you are doing some parking.
“The widespread availability of intelligent LED technology is the best way to significantly reduce the risks of nighttime driving,” says William F. Bertagni, Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Europe at Opel. “The new Opel Zafira and the Opel Mokka X with their optional AFL LED headlamps are important steps towards realizing this potential.”
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