We know that halogens are a dated technology. So are LEDs a suitable alternative?

To put it simply, yes. LEDs can be used in reflector headlights BUT (and it’s a big but) if you’re upgrading the bulb, you also need to upgrade the reflector bowl.

Failure to do so can blind or dazzle other people.

You see, no two reflectors are the same. Each reflector headlight design is meticulously crafted based on the precise specifications of the halogen bulb it intends to use. This ensures there’s a good throw and spread of light.

Replacing a halogen bulb with an LED, therefore, throws the reflector off balance. Even minute changes will alter where the light hits the reflector and gets projected out to.

Essentially, the light will end up in places it was not intended to.

This is exacerbated by the fact that LEDs are a directional light source, whereas halogens are omnidirectional. Unlike halogens, an LED will not illuminate the reflector surface evenly. This has two consequences:

Firstly, by shining light only at the reflector’s sides, there’s likely to be blank, hollow, or hot spots in the light beam.

Secondly, by failing to illuminate the upper portion of the reflector, the headlight will have reduced distance projection. Instead, the light will scatter above the cut-off point and blind other drivers.

Blinding other drivers is an obvious safety hazard, so it’s essential to replace both the light source and the reflector bowl if you’re thinking of upgrading to LEDs.

The alternative to that would be to get a specifically designed LEDs for your vehicle. These will be set up in a way that the light beam will be emitted according to the bowl shape.