RX

Make
Lexus
Segment
SUV

Last month, Lexus lifted the wraps off the 2020 RX facelift, featuring updated styling, new standard safety tech, and, at long last, an updated infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Not only are the luxury SUV's new LED headlights slimmer, they also feature some innovative world-first technology.

Lexus was the first manufacturer to introduce LED headlights with the 2007 Lexus LS 600h and the first to produce adaptive high-beam headlights introduced on the 2012 Lexus LS. These systems were designed to improve night-time visibility and therefore road safety. Taking this a step further is the automaker's new BladeScan adaptive headlight system, which will debut in the 2020 RX.

While the 2020 RX already benefits from high-beam LED lighting as part of the Lexus Safety System+ Package, Lexus claims its new BladeScan technology will improve the precision of visibility in front of the car from 1.7 to 0.7 degrees. This means drivers will be able to see areas that are difficult to check out with a conventional high-beam system, like road margins, pedestrians, and obstacles. Road signs will also be illuminated earlier.

While rival systems have increased the number of LEDs to improve headlight resolution, the new Lexus technology relies on a more cost-effective array of LEDs on each side of the car – ten in the case of the RX. Everything is also contained within a compact module within the inner corner of each RX headlight, alongside the familiar triple-eye units. The technology also doesn't dazzle other road users and enables drivers to identify pedestrians at night from a distance of up to 184 feet, up from 104 feet with previous lighting systems. Pricing and availability of the BladeScan technology will be announced closer to the on-sale date of the 2020 Lexus RX, which goes into production this fall.