Signal Lamps vs Mirror Indicators

We have often talked about upgrading various parts of the lighting system of your vehicle for safety purposes. This includes all sorts of internal and external lighting applications, whether they are responsible for active or passive illumination. In such discussions, we often mention established aftermarket brands like OSRAM, which have a wide product base to pull from.

For the most part, their product categories focus on providing stock replacement bulbs and lights. That can not only match the universal sockets present in most international car brands. But also, the safety standards and performance requirements set by European, American, and Asian safety organizations. So as to not break the strict warranty requirements in most nations.

These products often fall under the ORIGINAL banner, which includes both LED and halogen lighting solutions. The brand even has sub-categories that deal with products that offer a longer lifespan of operation. Versus those that solely focus on out-stripping the performance of OEM parts. While some others as simple aesthetic upgrades that can help you change the look and feel of your car lighting.

In addition to all that, these replacement lights also give a healthy competition in terms of pricing, as compared with OEM parts. Which is a big deciding factor for price-conscious consumers in places like India. Even if you can afford to invest a bit more in the lighting department you will find a similar story.

As the brand also has a whole range of LED upgrades under the LEDriving banner. That offers similar utility while also delivering the benefits of modern LED technology. This makes it a truly buyers’ market when it comes to upgrading your vehicle to improve your own safety. As well as that of all the people on the road around you.

While most aftermarket brands claim to offer similar value, it is only a rare few that truly deliver the same across all categories of lighting. Including but not limited to low-power applications like signal lamps. Which are mandated by law on all vehicles driving on the roads today.

Since it is a more niche market of customers that don’t mind spending the extra cash upgrading the passive and emergency lights of the vehicles. As much as the main headlights, which are much more visible and driver-centric. For such customers, the brand has options in both the ORIGINAL and LEDriving banners. With the ORIGINAL series being the cheaper, more familiar option for most people.

While picking the products you need to get, you can let the different classifications of signal lamps guide you. These can change depending on both the base, as well as the use case. Here are the most common types of bases you can pick from when it comes to OSRAM signal lamps:

· Metal Base

· Wedge Base

· Glass Wedge Base

· Plastic MF Base

Each base has its own unique benefits, in terms of build quality, size, and utility. You can check the existing lights fitted in your particular vehicle, to see which base serves you the best, depending on the specific model and brand. These requirements can also change on the basis of the application you are trying to fulfill. As metal bases are more prevalent in traditional signal tail lights and front indicators. While dashboards lights and other more muted applications require the more compact design afforded by plastic and wedge bases.

Each base style features its own collection of signal lights, each of which corresponds to a different category of lamps fitted in vehicles today. These lights can go from 2W to 25W depending on the need of the specific category. With LED versions offering up to 80% savings in terms of power consumption on average.

These categories are represented by specific name codes, which remain the same across most brands and models. You can cross-check the following list to see which ones you need to invest in:

· SL R10W

· SL R5W

· SL T5

· SL P21/5W

· SL P21W

· SL P27/7W

· SL W16W

· SL W21W

· SL W21/5W

· SL WY21W

· SL PS19W

· SL PY21W

· SL P13W

Once you finalize the specific category and base you want, there are even more options to explore, when you account for the different colors on offer. Which range from plain white to red, yellow, and even blue. Depending on the specific signal lamp in question and where it is placed. Thus, giving consumers near unlimited choice when it comes to upgrading their vehicle.

For people who want to go even further, OSRAM also has a whole range of Dynamic Mirror Indicators, which can attach to the side-mirror assemblies. And deliver a true aesthetic upgrade, unlike anything that OEM parts can deliver. These attachments sync with the existing signal lamps and simply act as an extension of the system.

While the brand can’t cover all the different types of models on offer across the globe. They have done a decent job in at least covering the few most common models available from the major German carmakers. Here is a list of the ones you can buy right now:

· VW Golf VI

· VW GOLF VII

· VW Passat B8

· BMW 1 Series

· BMW 2 Series

· BMW 3 Series

· BMW 4 Series

· BMW X1

· Audi A3

· Audi A4

· Audi A5

· Seat Leon

· Seat Ibiza

· Seat Arona

This seems like a pretty small list when you compare it with the majority of models covered by the ORIGINAL and LEDriving series of signal lamps. It is still an indication of the progress that has been made so far in pushing the Dynamic Mirror Indicator segment, from a relatively unknown niche to a more acceptable standard of signal lighting.

Of course, they will be a bit more expensive than standard signal lamps or even LED ones. Yet it is a good enough indicator of the direction this category is headed in. We can’t wait to see which new models the brand brings under the same, next. For now, we recommend picking the best you can get from what is on offer. To upgrade the safety and visibility of your own vehicle.