The D5S 25w HID headlamp light source has just been launched in series production. This week you’ll find an article about it. From a technical perspective the integral unitised D5S — 12v in, light out — realises the ideas and dreams of the early creators of HID headlamp technology. I remember discussions I had with Philips (often with Jan Bindels, their greatest expert at that time) and Osram (with Dr Gotchev) before VEDILIS and the launch of the now-common 35w HID. We had a goal of an electronic supply gear “with the volume of a cigarette pack”. It took awhile; the first production HID ballasts were more like the size of a building brick, but now we can see that in 2012 thanks to the grand job of Ralf Schäfer, this vision of the early pioneers has at last become true.
But is it not too late, what with the rapid onset of LED headlamps? The technology has been theoretically complete since 2007, but we took our time bringing it to market. We spent (lost) a lot of time in protracted discussions about 25w HID: economic interests, regulations, D5 or D6 or D7, competition with HID 35w or with Halogen, et cetera. The whole dragged-out process was an example of what we must not do to launch a new technology.
In 2007, I was easily convinced about the future of the 25w HID. Now, the prospects for any 25w HID system are less sure. To succeed we have to heavily communicate about the energy saving and safety benefits versus halogen if we really mean to give it its chances of success. Why? We have 35w HIDs and we have LEDs, so where could now be the place for 25w HIDs? The answer is clear for me: to replace halogen bulbs in premium and midrange cars, for 2 reasons: Halogen lighting performance is no longer adequate for good safety on such cars, and halogen power consumption is too high, almost three times more than 25w HID.
I can understand halogen for low level range cars where build cost and legality are the only criteria. I can’t understand halogen in premium or middle range cars any more—not in 2012. If we want to succeed we have to convince car makers and end users; we have to communicate on the benefits, and we have to do it now.
Sincerely yours
DVN Editor in Chief