Celebrate 145 Years of the Light Bulb by Equipping Your Old Car with LEDs

On October 22, 1879, Thomas Edison filed a patent for the electric bulb. 145 years later, filaments have been replaced by LEDs.

By enclosing a filament in a vacuum glass envelope and heating it enough to make it incandescent, Thomas Edison revolutionized the way we illuminate our lives. The process of electrically heating an object to make it incandescent and thus luminescent cannot solely be credited to the brilliant American inventor, as the electric lamp was invented in the early 19th century. The true innovation was isolating the filament from the oxygen in the air to prevent it from burning out. The vacuum was later replaced by neutral gases that do not oxidize. Goodbye candles or oil and kerosene lamps, the fairy electricity became our main source of light that day. It was close that British chemist Joseph Swan would have outdone him and entered history in his place, but Swan’s cotton filament could not compete with the fine bamboo fiber rod used by Edison. After a brief legal battle, the two men formed the Edison-Swan company and launched the large-scale commercialization of the invention.

The bulb truly took off in the early 20th century with the use of tungsten instead of carbon. This very heavy and hard metal is still used today in incandescent bulbs. The next revolution occurred in the 1960s with the advent of light-emitting diodes. Their main advantage is that they consume much less electricity than their incandescent filament counterparts, as a large part of the energy in the latter is lost through heat production. LEDs first appeared on luxury vehicles in the early 2010s before becoming widespread as the price of the technology fell.

It is now possible to equip models that come with halogen lights with approved retrofit LED lamps, in accordance with the road traffic license regulations (decree of 28.10.2021 relating to the national reception of replacement LEDs). OSRAM, the number one in automotive lighting, thus offers the NIGHT BREAKER LED range. Approved by the National Vehicle Reception Center (CNRV), these products offer superior performance and a more modern visual signature. Better visibility guaranteed day and night, and in terms of looks, your car will gain a few years.

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