I just read this and thought I would share....
The very first headlamps, introduced in the late 1880s, used either acetylene or oil as the energy source. The costs of both sources were quite high, so few motorists had the opportunity to drive when the sun was down. The first electric-powered headlights hit the market in 1898 and were featured on the Columbia Electric Car. That’s right- the first electric headlights were invented in the 19th century on an electric car!
Despite its introduction, electric headlights were not immediately commonplace for a couple of reasons. First, driving an automobile at the time as not exactly a smooth ride and was tough on the filaments. Also, it was hard to produce a light that was small enough for an automobile that could provide the necessary power.
The modern electrical system was introduced by Cadillac in 1912, and from there headlights became more universal. Still, it wasn’t until 1945 that headlights and turn signals were considered the standard in American vehicles. We’ve come a long way since 1898 and it’s almost inconceivable to think that driving at night was once impossible!
Wow... we have come a long way!
To consider how well today's LED headlights work - our 2015 e-Golf SEL had fantastic LED headlights, with virtually perfect focus and cutoff, and they self corrected for level, too.