Slashdot has reported:

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Tuesday it will rewrite vehicle lighting standards to address headlight glare and allow newer safety technologies. The agency plans to improve rules covering LEDs, dusk sensors, automatic high beams and replaceable light sources, and to assess how headlamp height and aim affect driver visibility.

NHTSA will also examine glare and make appropriate changes. Complaints have risen, with a growing number of taller trucks and SUVs on roads contributing to concerns. Some lawmakers have urged the government to establish a maximum brightness standard for headlights. LEDs now account for most headlights in new cars and are much brighter than traditional halogen lights.

The issue represents a small share of nighttime crashes, according to a study last year by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The study found glare contributes to far fewer crashes than insufficient visibility, and that drivers older than 70 appear to be most affected by glare.

Federal standards setting minimum and maximum headlight brightness have not changed since 1997, the IIHS noted. In 2022, NHTSA said automakers could install adaptive driving beam headlights on new vehicles. Those systems adjust beam patterns to dim portions directed at other vehicles.

Reuters reported the agency’s announcement. The planned rewrite is intended to address complaints while permitting the latest lighting technologies described as safety-improving.