Daytime running lights: the complete guide

What are daytime running lights used for ?

Daytime comes from the Latin « diurnus », which means « during the day ». Daytime running lights are therefore lights specific to vehicles driving during the day. They are more commonly called daytime lights.

They are used to be more visible during the day. If this could create debates at the time, today we see that these daytime lights make it easier to see the vehicles that are equipped with them. They are designed to prevent collisions, especially when traffic is dense or during overtaking.

Daytime running lights are also used to anticipate sudden changes in brightness, such as passing through a tunnel, a wooded area or under a bridge. Some are equipped with a flashing function, to warn other road users when changing direction. Two flashing versions are available : the fixed orange indicator or the « back-and-forth » flashing, smoother and more modern, also called « dynamic indicator » or « sequential indicator ».

Daytime light management can be greatly improved thanks to the addition of a DRL module, which makes it possible to secure your electrical installation and obtain new operating modes.

Daytime running lights have also become an aesthetic element of a car, a motorcycle or a truck, as with the Flexible Mirage LED daytime lights (multicolored), which allow you to change the color. New styles of « New Age » animated daytime lights are appearing. Equipped with different modes and variations of kinematics, they are often visible as soon as the vehicle is started, or simply by unlocking it with the key, as on certain prestige vehicles such as the Audi RS7.

Daytime lights : the debate from the world before

Ten years later, it may seem quite surprising, but the implementation of daytime running lights was trench warfare on several levels. First of all, legitimate questions were raised about the effectiveness of these daytime lights. Then, was the gain worth the additional cost for manufacturers, consumers and the environment ? Finally, was this not going to cause confusion for other users, such as two-wheelers, but also pedestrians ?

Proven effectiveness

The European Union did not decree this obligation without having carried out an in-depth study, and two surveys came to support its choice. It was necessary, on the one hand, to gather all the studies conducted on the subject in 1995 and, on the other hand, to analyze more precisely the effects of daytime lights on so-called vulnerable users. The results were eloquent. On the one hand, pedestrians saw cars better ; on the other, bicycles and motorcycles did not suffer from possible confusion. In the end, vehicles are 10 to 15 % more visible with daytime running lights.

A legal obligation

In light of these studies, European regulations require daytime running lights for manufacturers for new cars sold from 2011. This European law is transcribed in Article R313-4-1 of the Highway Code. For the recalcitrant, it is a fine of 135 euros if you drive with the daytime running lights off. This rule does not apply to cars produced before 2011, which have absolutely no legal obligation to be equipped.

Daytime running lights : a modest cost for the consumer and the environment

Manufacturers dragged their feet in the face of this new obligation imposed on them. Like it or not, they integrated the law into their specifications without prices being impacted. As a LED brand, we have developed a range of daytime lights varied in terms of price, style, dimensions, shapes and operation, adapted to vehicles that do not have them.

For the environment, the use of LEDs helps limit additional gasoline consumption, compared with two conventional bulbs remaining on continuously. Motorists tend to think that only the engine consumes fuel, but everything that requires energy draws from the tank. The environmental question was therefore raised, but the new LEDs make it possible to set aside this issue.

How to install daytime running lights on your vehicle ? What precautions should be taken ?

In terms of safety, the daytime running lights law is precise. You will not be able to install long-range lights or an LED bar in place of daytime running lights !

Daytime lights must :

• Be positioned at the front of the vehicle,
• Project a non-dazzling white light,
• Have the light directed forward,
• Have a distance between the two lights of at least 60 cm,
• Have the luminous flux power of the LEDs, between 400 and 1 200 candelas,
• Benefit from automatic switching on, as soon as the vehicle is started.

First step before any intervention, start by looking for a location for the daytime lights of your vehicle. We advise installing them in the most visible way possible, and high enough to be seen.

Second step, choose the most suitable daytime lights in relation to the available space, the location, the aesthetics, as well as the shape of your automobile.

Different types of daytime lights are available on the AGM Vision website. For each installation, there is a suitable daytime light !

• Extra Flat Flexible LED daytime lights (only 3 mm thick) for integration between the headlight optics and the hood, or for very restricted spaces.
• Lift LED daytime lights, very compact in size, for installation in a vehicle grille.
• ST LED daytime lights, with a metal bracket allowing adjustment of the light direction. These daytime running lights also exist in a version with indicator.
• Angular LED daytime lights, to give character to your vehicle. The ideal location is generally located next to the front fog lights.
• Flexible LED daytime lights, among the best for adapting to vehicles and bumpers with a very rounded shape.
• And finally, daytime lights equipped with LED start-up animations, which exist in different sizes for car, quad or even truck.

Third step, carry out the mounting of the daytime lights using the supplied brackets. When it is a flexible LED strip, the hold is generally obtained using double-sided adhesive. Some daytime lights are fixed thanks to a metal bracket, which also makes it possible to adjust the orientation. For discreet integration, it is sometimes necessary to make a cut using a template.

Finally, the fourth and last step consists of carrying out the electrical connection of the daytime running lights. Here is, in detail, a professional procedure. Be careful not to connect your daytime lights to just any electrical source, as this can have harmful effects on the operation of the vehicle. Once the electrical supply has been found, it is advisable to install a protective fuse. At the AGM Vision workshop, we use double-level fuse holders, which allow a quick and reliable connection.

To benefit from automatic and secure management of daytime lights, it is preferable to install, between the daytime lights and the electrical supply, a DRL module. Two versions of DRL modules exist :

• The DRL STD module allows automatic switching on of daytime lights and modulation of light intensity (50% reduction in brightness in dipped beam, and full power the rest of the time). This box is the simplest to install and requires little technical knowledge. Simply connect the + and – wires directly to the battery and connect the yellow wire with the power wire of the dipped beam headlights. Unlike other boxes, this one can be connected simply, without needing to look for a + supply after ignition, because this DRL STD module only works from a minimum voltage of 13,5 volts. In other words, your daytime lights will only turn on when the vehicle engine is running and will turn off automatically when the engine stops.
• The Multifunction DRL module has more options than a classic module. It allows automatic and complete management of LED daytime lights, automatic switching on of the LEDs when the vehicle ignition is turned on, as well as the dual intensity function (low intensity -50% in dipped beam and full power when there is no dipped beam). Added to this are two optional functions : deactivation of daytime lights when the right or left indicator is activated, and the Strobe function, to warn twice when you honk or brake, activatable with a button depending on the wiring that is carried out.

This module requires technical knowledge to be properly connected. To carry out the wiring, it will be necessary to consult the AGM Vision instructions provided when purchasing this Multifunction DRL module.

You now know the usefulness of daytime running lights and the installation procedure for your daytime lights !