According to regulatory amendments finalised last Autumn, all new vehicles conforming to ECE Regulation 48 — which governs the installation of lighting devices in most countries — will have to be equipped with daytime running lights. Recent European studies show a moderate but significant real safety benefit to DRLs.
While many different DRL implementations are permitted without regard to fuel consumption in North America where ECE R48 does not apply, European countries and others adhering to R48 must balance the safety benefit of DRLs against the added fuel consumption required to operate them.
DRL system power consumption ranges from 12 watts for functionally-dedicated DRLs using high-efficiency bulbs or LEDs, to 220 watts if the vehicle’s headlamps and other lights are all illuminated as DRLs.
At the GRE meeting this week in Geneva, the question of DRL system power consumption limits will be debated.