Costs of Replacement Headlights are Exploding, Report Finds
According to a June report by Mitchell in the U.S., the costs of replacement headlights are increasing at an alarming rate.
The average repairable vehicle’s headlight price has climbed from $307.73 USD in 2015 to $418.36 USD so far in 2019, a rise of 36 percent over just a four-year span.
The increase is even more dramatic if we look at late-model vehicles—from $499.20 USD in 2015 to $773 so far in 2019.
Mitchell data reflects the American market, but the situation in Canada likely isn’t too far off.
OEM and remanufactured headlights saw the largest gains in price, while recycled and aftermarket lamps grew more moderately.
Unsurprisingly, the report shows that luxury automakers occupy the top 10 positions when it comes to the highest average headlight cost this year. However, the highest growth in headlight cost between 2015-2019 was actually seen in FCA and General Motors brands, notably Dodge with a 137.80 percent bump.
As you know, automakers are increasingly shifting to LEDs for their vehicles. Even entry-level cars like the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 now come standard with them.
Other innovations like oLEDs, laser technology, automatic high beams and adaptive lighting are also responsible for the rise in replacement headlight costs. And we should not forget about the more stringent testing procedures from safety regulators. The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) considers headlight strength and performance when determining its Top Safety Pick+ awards, the highest distinction possible for vehicles.
“The trend towards more advanced lighting systems is bound to continue as smarter systems are critical in the journey toward autonomous driving,” the Mitchell report says. “The improved visibility created by these new complex headlamps will be instrumental to ensuring that other autonomous driving sensors and components are able to function at the highest level and provide the greatest degree of safety, especially in a vehicle cockpit devoid of a driver.”