Feb. 17, 2022—Vehicles will now be allowed to use advanced headlights known as “adaptive driving beams,” Reuters reported Tuesday.
The headlights could help prevent nighttime crashes, and will finally be allowed in the U.S. more than a decade after they were approved for use in Europe, Japan, Canada and other countries.
An infrastructure law signed in November required NHTSA to issue a final rule by late 2023 allowing advanced headlight use. Toyota had been petitioning to allow the lights since 2013.
The technology automatically adjusts the beams using additional sensors so they can provide more illumination without a glare to oncoming motorists.
NHTSA said the rule "will improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists by making them more visible at night, and will help prevent crashes by better illuminating animals and objects in and along the road."
