BMW i8 concept's laser lights - new details

New details regarding BMW's laser light technology has surfaced.

BMW are ready to steal ahead of their rivals with the next incarnation of light technology. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are the best known light technology we find on the front fascia of the world's top automobiles at the moment. They were pioneered for the U.S. Market by Lexus on the LS 600h before being more widely used by the Audi range starting with the R8 sportscar. But like many new technologies, they only have a limited lifespan before the next generation arrives.

BMW is secretly working with suppliers that BMW's optical systems designer Hanafi Abdul refused to identify. BMW's laser technology starts with 3 laser diodes which generate a laser beam that is 10 microns wide. An intense white light is generated by emitting the laser to yellow phosphorus found inside the lens which then bounces off reflectors onto the road.

Laser lights have huge advantages over LEDs, they use less than half the energy and the light intensity is a thousand times higher. Additionally, a laser diode is one hundred times smaller than an LED diode.

Laser lights were first exhibited on the BMW i8 Concept that debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show a couple of months a go. Audi also displayed a similar technology in Frankfurt. The A2 Concept featured rear fog lights that use diodes to generate laser beams which project images of red triangles onto the road as a warning in bad weather conditions such fog or rain. Therefore if the Bavarian automaker does not press ahead with development, their German rivals could beat them to the punch.