BMW M5 2000, Manual, Page: 169 / 189

169 n
Repairs
Index
Overview
Controls
Car care
Technology
Data
Rain sensor
*
Xenon lamps
When the "Intermittent" wiper speed
position is selected, the wiper reacts
immediately if water is splashed onto
the windshield from vehicles traveling
ahead, for example. As a result, the rain
sensor provides a contribution to driv-
ing safety and comfort.
Xenon lamps illuminate the side and
front areas of the vehicle with signifi-
cantly more brightness and uniformity
than traditional halogen lamps.
In a xenon lamp, an electric arc replaces
the filament in order to generate intense
illumination. A gas mixture in a quartz
glass tube with metal vapor is ignited by
a high electric voltage. The arc that is
generated is then sustained by a lower
voltage. When the lamp is turned on
there is a brief warm-up period. Maxi-
mum brightness is attained in approx.
15 seconds.
390de134
Xenon lamps improve the driver's visi-
bility and orientation to the road, espe-
cially in adverse weather conditions and
driving situations (driving at night in
heavy rain or through road repair areas
where there are no lane markers, for in-
stance).
Vehicles with xenon lamps are
equipped with automatic headlamp
range control. As a result, the highway
is always optimally lighted, regardless
of load conditions, and drivers in on-
coming traffic are not blinded.
Xenon lamps make a significant contri-
bution to highway safety since other
highway users, or bicyclists and motor-
cyclists in the right lane, and pedestri-
ans are more easily detected.