Mustang Coupe

Make
Ford
Segment
Coupe

Ford is planning to abandon fog lamps as lightning technology improves, says the automaker's European design director.

Amko Leenharts told Ford Authority that bending lights eliminate the need for fog lamps. "In most of our European products, they're gone. If you have the bending lights, then you don't need the fog lights," he explained. Bending (or cornering) headlights use the steering angle and vehicle speed to adjust the headlights accordingly and allow motorists to see more of the road.

In recent years, however, headlight technology has evolved to a point where fog lamps are considered unnecessary on some vehicles, particularly in the premium and luxury segments.

While certain models like the recently revised Ford Escape continue to utilize fog lamps, we've already seen this trend creep over to the United States.

The new Ford Mustang, for example, features LED headlights and no auxiliary fog lamps. We expect this trend to infiltrate the local lineup and the Lincoln range. The recently refreshed Corsair crossover also got rid of its fog lights.

As mentioned, significant advancements have been made in the lighting arena, especially since the advent of LED headlights which have become increasingly common. They use significantly less energy than a xenon or halogen bulb and improve visibility and make for safer driving.

In February, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) approved the use of adaptive driving beam (AEB) headlights in the USA after a lengthy wait. If you're unaware, AEB lighting enables a vehicle to utilize the high beam setting on a dark road without blinding oncoming drivers.

As technology gets even better - and manufacturers continue to engineer new lighting systems - it won't be long before the fog lamp is as obsolete as a CD changer and cigarette lighter. Aside from the apparent benefits of LED systems, many modern vehicles have driver assists that can aid a motorist in driving safely in hazardous conditions.

Then again, ADAS isn't impervious to vulnerabilities, as the NHTSA has demonstrated on numerous occasions.