Independent study proves life saving potential Xenon car lighting from Philips

Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE:PHG, AEX:PHI) today announced that the life saving potential of Xenon light has been confirmed in a new study from the German, independent safety research organization TÜV Rheinland.  The study which was published yesterday states that if all vehicles on German roads were equipped with Xenon car lights, 18 percent of all fatalities could be avoided, equivalent to more than 1,200 lives saved on Germany’s roads alone each year.

The remarkable figures reflect the specific attributes of Xenon: a powerful light beam, which shines wider and longer than conventional headlights. Xenon lights give 200 percent more light than standard halogen lamps which helps improve night-time visibility for drivers while also improving ability to concentrate.  As a result, the whitish-blue light of a Xenon headlight “extends” the stopping distance by 30 – 50 meter due to the fact that the extra light allows dangerous situations to be detected sooner from the same distance.

“Xenon is an important technology that improves road safety and has the potential to significantly reduce road fatalities. We’re delighted to see this confirmed by independent researchers,” says Hans de Jong, chief executive officer of Philips Automotive Lighting. “On top of this, it uses just half the energy of alternative lamps, and it is a clear example of Philips improving people’s lives with lighting”.

The study compares the probability of having an accident at night to the probability of having one at day with the same type of vehicle to eliminate the influence of other safety technologies on a vehicle. The result shows, that the probability of having an accident with Xenon light on motor ways and rural roads is significantly lower than for cars without Xenon light.  In addition to the improved safety attributes, Xenon light also uses just half the amount of energy than other conventional car lighting, reducing the C02 emission of a vehicle by 1.3 g/km.

Philips is the world’s leading manufacturer of Xenon car bulbs and its development and manufacturing operations for automotive headlights are headquartered in Aachen, Germany.

• Click here to read more about Xenon automotive lighting

The whitish-blue light of a Xenon car headlight produces 200 percent more light than a conventional halogen headlight and dramatically “extends” the stopping distance by anywhere from 30 to 50 metres. This improved night visibility that means that drivers have a better chance of detecting dangerous situations than would have been possible from a similar distance with ordinary headlights. The image below shows the difference in visibility; the car on the left is equipped with halogen lamps and the car on the right with Xenon car lighting.