Pop-up headlights can be a prominent feature of any car, but you will only now see them on older cars, such as the Porsche 944, early model Mazda MX-5, or Lamborghini Countach.
Pop-up headlights provide a smoother frontal aesthetic for any sports car. They were popular because the headlight height requirement in the 1970s was higher than the desired height of the low-slung nose on many sports cars. The hidden headlight design allowed manufacturers to get around this rule, raising the lights up to the required height while maintaining the aesthetic they wanted.
So, why don't we see pop-up headlights anymore?
Safety regulations killed off the pop-up headlight, mainly due to pedestrian safety regulations being tightened and the need to reduce any sharp surface areas deemed too dangerous. Pop-up headlights are not illegal, but car manufacturers are required to comply with the new stringent safety rules, and so they find it too difficult or too expensive to comply with these rules. Therefore, they don't bother to build them into their cars anymore.
Sadly, it seems that pop-up headlights are unlikely to ever reappear on new car designs in the future. To some, they may be a gimmick. To others, they are the perfect addition. Either way, their invention has led to some impressive looking cars.
Pop-up headlights provide a smoother frontal aesthetic for any sports car. They were popular because the headlight height requirement in the 1970s was higher than the desired height of the low-slung nose on many sports cars. The hidden headlight design allowed manufacturers to get around this rule, raising the lights up to the required height while maintaining the aesthetic they wanted.
So, why don't we see pop-up headlights anymore?
Safety regulations killed off the pop-up headlight, mainly due to pedestrian safety regulations being tightened and the need to reduce any sharp surface areas deemed too dangerous. Pop-up headlights are not illegal, but car manufacturers are required to comply with the new stringent safety rules, and so they find it too difficult or too expensive to comply with these rules. Therefore, they don't bother to build them into their cars anymore.
Sadly, it seems that pop-up headlights are unlikely to ever reappear on new car designs in the future. To some, they may be a gimmick. To others, they are the perfect addition. Either way, their invention has led to some impressive looking cars.
