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What are Follow Me Home Headlamps? [2024 Guide]

Team AckoJan 9, 2024

Car manufacturers across the world are developing features that can make rides smoother and safer. Many features come in handy for the driver, from seat belts to speed alerts and sensors. Amongst myriads of features aiming at enhancing the user experience, "Follow Me Home" headlamps are one of the most essential in a four-wheeler.

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It gives drivers and passengers added visibility in the dark, creating a safer environment when arriving at a destination. The feature is a testament to technological advancement in the automotive industry. Let us delve deeper into this marvellous innovation, exploring the purpose, mechanisms, types, benefits, components and more of Follow Me Home headlamps.

Contents

What Do Follow Me Home Headlamps Means
Purpose of Follow Me Home Headlamps
Mechanism Behind Follow Me Home Headlamps
Components Behind Follow Me Home Headlamps
Top Four Types of Follow Me Home Headlights
Top Five Category Of Follow Me Home Headlamps
How To Activate The Follow Me Home Headlamp Feature
Benefits of Follow Me Home Headlamps
Conclusion

What Do Follow Me Home Headlamps Means

Follow Me Home or Guide Me headlamps are mainly designed to remain illuminated, typically 10-15 seconds after turning off the vehicle's engine or unlocking your car with a key. It is an excellent feature that helps drivers and passengers with the required visibility to navigate safely from the vehicle to the doorstep in any low-light conditions or unfamiliar surroundings. A Follow Me Home headlight feature in your car can help prevent parking lot mishaps due to mud, potholes, dark, slippery areas, and more.

Purpose of Follow Me Home Headlamps

Three primary purposes of Follow Me Home headlamps are:

Safety: One obvious purpose of Follow Me Home headlights is to provide protection to the driver. It offers a clear pathway, allowing you to avoid potential obstacles preventing accidents while walking to your destination.
Convenience: Beyond safety, the feature offers much-needed comfort and extra time for locating keys and other stuff and safely navigating to the destination.
Security: The temporary illumination can deter potential threats by making it clear that someone is present and moving towards the house, building or any other destination.

Mechanism Behind Follow Me Home Headlamps

Here is how this feature operates:

Activation: You can activate the feature by pulling the headlamp stalk or pressing the feature button after turning off the engine.
Time: Once activated, your car's headline will remain lit for a particular duration. This time frame can be customised according to your preference. Mostly, it ranges from 10-30 seconds.
Turn Off: Such headlights are designed to turn off automatically after the set duration. It preserves battery life and ensures the car stays functional.

Components Behind Follow Me Home Headlamps

Follow Me Home headlights can function using various components of cars. Here are some of the main elements that enable the feature:

Power Source: A standby power source is available under the car's battery, which helps the headlamps to glow for some time.
Assembly: In modern cars, you can adjust the time function (10 to 15 seconds) using the assembly or touch switch.
Sensors: Ambient light sensors can adjust the lighting level or duration based on the outer environment. While door sensors can monitor whether the doors are closed, effective the activation or deactivation of the Follow Me Home feature.
Actuator: Many cars manufactured lately have an inbuilt actuator or switch to activate the feature.
Connectors: Wiring and connectors ensure electrical power transmission and signals between all components.
Software: The embedded software inside the control module is vital for the Follow Me Home feature to function. It allows the execution of commands, setting adjustments and interaction with other systems.
Dimming Function: This function syncs with time. The Follow Me Home feature turns on as you switch off the car.
Relays: Electrical relays are sometimes used in switching the headlights on and off. It typically acts under the control module.

Top Four Types of Follow Me Home Headlights

Headlights have significantly evolved over the years, with manufacturers introducing various types with unique properties and advantages. Here are the top 5 Follow Me Home headlights, along with their pros and cons:

Halogen Headlamps

These are some of the most common headlamp types. They are typically incandescent bulbs filled with halogen gas, increasing the life of the tungsten filament. Halogen headlamps can last up to 1000 hours in normal conditions.

Pros:

Affordable
Easy to replace
Widely available
Creates warmer lights

Cons

Relatively low on efficiency
Runs hot at times
Takes time to brighten fully
Needs more maintenance

Xenon or High-Intensity Discharge Headlamps

HID lamps use xenon gas and electrical charge to create white light. They do not have any filament and are proven to last longer than halogen bulbs. Here, xenon is used as a mix of tungsten and gasses to make it much more efficient.

Pros:

Last longer than halogen bulbs
Uses less power
Brighter
Longer lifespan

Cons:

Expensive than halogen bulbs
Can be glaring to oncoming traffic
Takes time to charge up

LED Headlamps

Light Emitting Diodes (LED) are a widely loved headlamp type due to their energy efficiency. These semiconductor devices emit lights when an electric power passes through them. This type of light can last for many years and comes in many models.

Pros:

Energy efficient
Longer lifespan
Compact size
Instant output of light

Cons:

Expensive
Complex to design
High production cost
Can be too bright for oncoming traffic

Laser Headlamps

Laser headlamps use laser diodes in conjunction with a phosphor that produces very bright light. The light produced by the laser is said to be 1,000 times stronger than the LED headlamps while using only 2/3 of its power.

Pros:

Compact size
Better brightness than LED
Energy efficient
Far-reaching light

Cons:

Extremely expensive
Create massive heat
Not available widely

Top Five Category Of Follow Me Home Headlamps

Follow Me Home headlights are a feature, relying on the underlying headlamp technology for their operations. They may vary based on their working, customisation and functionalities. Here are the top categories of Follow Me Home headlights:

Basic: These kinds are simple to use and get activated automatically when you turn off the car's engine. They usually have a fixed illumination duration. The customisation option is typically unavailable in the basic Follow Me Home headlamps.
Customisable: As the name suggests, this headlamp feature allows you to decide the illumination duration after the engine is turned off. Some manufacturers may also offer the option to customise the intensity of the light.
Integrated: These headlamps integrate with other systems of the vehicle and can incorporate additional lighting features like puddle lamps under side mirrors and interior lights. They have advanced customisation options, allowing you to control various aspects of the element via an app or infotainment system.
Adaptive: These are the most advanced category of Follow Me Home headlamps. They can adapt the illumination based on the surrounding environment. They may remain on longer in darker or unsafe areas and have the highest customisation and control options.
Connected: These headlamps are connected to the internet or smart devices, letting you have remote operations. You can modify settings remotely using a smartphone app or connected devices, offering much convenience and advanced control.

How To Activate The Follow Me Home Headlamp Feature

Activating the Follow Me Home headlamp feature largely depends on the car's model and the level of integrated technology. However, the basic process to activate is:

After switching off the engine, you need to pull the high beam stalk towards you to activate the Follow Me Home feature.
Pressing a specific button or selecting the feature from the car's infotainment menu can also activate the feature.
After the set duration serves its purpose, the headlamp automatically turns off to ensure it does not drain the car's battery.

Benefits of Follow Me Home Headlamps

Some of the benefits of Follow Me Home headlights are:

User Friendly: Activating the Follow Me Home feature is straightforward and user-friendly, which helps you use the feature even in the most stressful situations.
Navigation: The increased visibility of surroundings with the Follow Me Home feature reduces the risk of trips, falls or any other mishaps. It makes navigation easy for you, even in unfamiliar territories.
Customisation: Some car models let you modify settings based on your preferences. You can increase or decrease the illumination period and intensity, providing a more versatile experience.
Eco-Friendly: Using environmentally friendly lighting such as LEDs reduces energy consumption and extends the lighting system's life, making it a more sustainable option for buyers.
Safety: By lighting the surroundings, you not only reduce any possible accident, fall or trip but also contribute to a safer environment, deterring potential intruders and providing peace of mind.

Conclusion

Follow Me Home headlamps are an essential feature to consider when buying a car. It is not just a feature but your companion in the dark and a beacon of safety in various situations. In fact, it is one of the best safety features introduced in modern cars, and buyers must check with dealers if the feature is available before purchasing the vehicle.

Moreover, Follow Me Home is also a symbol of the progressive journey in automotive technology. The feature signifies the automotive industry's commitment to improving vehicle safety, security and user experience. With its thoughtful approach to visibility, the feature provides an illuminated pathway in the dark and contributes to a secure environment for the user.

With more technological advancement, we can anticipate further innovations and refinements in car lighting systems, offering more adaptable, customised and user-friendly solutions to meet diverse user needs.

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