World's First Production Car with Laser Beams: Audi R8 LMX

[vm2011]

Audi steals the thunder from BMW i8.

In February, BMW said the i8 will be the first production car in the world to offer laser headlights starting from this fall. Now, Audi couldn't have that, so it created a special limited edition of the soon-to-be replaced R8 sports car dubbed LMX for this purpose

With the new laser high beams, one laser module per headlight generates a cone of light with twice the range of the all‑LED headlight," reads the German automaker's press statement.

Each module comprises four high‑power laser diodes. With a diameter of just 300 micrometers, these generate a blue laser beam with a wavelength of 450 nanometers. A phosphor converter transforms this into roadworthy white light with a color temperature of 5,500 Kelvin – ideal conditions for the human eye that enable the driver to recognize contrast more easily and help prevent fatigue."

"The laser spot, which is active at speeds of 60 km/h (37.3 mph) and above, supplements the LED high beam in the R8 LMX and greatly enhances visibility and safety. An intelligent camera‑based sensor system detects other road users and actively adjusts the light pattern to exclude them.

Audi Steals BMW i8's Thunder with New R8 LMX, World's First Production Car with Laser Beams - Carscoops

Audi Steals BMW i8's Thunder with New R8 LMX, World's First Production Car with Laser Beams - Carscoops