Ok, so maybe not quite.
However, this is still neat: The BMW Group has been developing laser headlights for vehicles. With intensity a thousand times, a fuel consumption at less than half even their current LEDs, and a size one hundred times smaller, the desire to develop this technology is quite self-explanatory.
This opens up all sorts of new possibilities when integrating the light source into the vehicle. The BMW engineers have no plans to radically reduce the size of the headlights however, although that would be theoretically possible. Instead, the thinking is that the headlights would retain their conventional surface area dimensions and so continue to play an important role in the styling of a BMW, while the size advantages could be used to reduce the depth of the headlight unit, and so open up new possibilities for headlight positioning and body styling.
The laser diodes used originally emit blue, but through interacting with a fluorescent phosphor is converted to a “pure white light.” BMW highlights the safety of the lasers for all road users profusely in their press release. The laser headlight technology would be compatible with BMW’s LED “Dynamic Light Spot” which is an intelligent, targeted illumination of obstacles.
Further knowledge: For design geeks, the film Objectified is a fantastic documentary, in which Chris Bangle of the BMW group speaks on industrial design. As if that’s not enough, Apple’s stud muffin Sir Jonathan Ive talks about robust aluminium.
Unnnff.
