Regulatory Issues for Signal and Marker Lamps Using Light Emitting Diodes

There are a number of characteristics that are unique to light emitting diodes (LEDs) that make it difficult to ascertain whether a motor vehicle lamp using them as light sources is in compliance with certain Federal and State regulations. The vast majority of these regulations were written for incandescent light sources and should be examined for possible changes to accommodate LEDs. The advantages of using LEDs instead of incandescent sources include longer life, faster illumination time, and lower energy use. Because of these factors, they are becoming more prevalent in vehicle lighting. The following factors should be addressed so as not to impede their increasing use.