Why are daytime running lights so bright?
Why are the daytime running lights on some cars so bright? Up until now, some Toyota models seem to have had the brightest, with a bank of four or five, ultra bright LEDs, bright enough to make you look away even in bright sunshine. I would now say that some Mazda models sport a super bright system that seems to only use a single point source of light. Is this a laser based system? It is certainly bright enough to cause discomfort and makes you look away if one of these cars is coming towards you, either as a pedestrian or an oncoming motorist.
Asked on 6 July 2026 by MikeMyers
Answered by
David Ross
Daytime running lights have been a legal requirement for new cars since 2011, and they are required to be bright enough to be visible in sunlight. However, the increased use of LEDs means newer vehicles with LED DRLs are providing a much higher intensity of light, and a greater proportion of this is at the blue end of the spectrum which makes it more difficult to look at with the naked eye. DRLs do not use lasers, but some manufacturers such as Mazda use a single LED that is focused by a lens, and it is this focus beam that gives it the greater intensity.
The government commissioned the Transport Research Laboratory to conduct a study into the affects of dazzling headlights, and the report was discussed in the House of Commons in October 2025, but finding a solution will require an agreed change in standards across Europe and beyond in order that manufacturers can adhere to the same set of regulations in multiple markets.
The government commissioned the Transport Research Laboratory to conduct a study into the affects of dazzling headlights, and the report was discussed in the House of Commons in October 2025, but finding a solution will require an agreed change in standards across Europe and beyond in order that manufacturers can adhere to the same set of regulations in multiple markets.
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