A few days ago, Tesla's global headlight patent was announced. The patent can meet the needs of different countries and jurisdictions, while for Tesla can reduce the cost of producing different types of headlights.
We understand that Tesla envisioned a system that could automatically adjust the headlights to meet the needs of different jurisdictions by using software alone. This will allow Tesla to produce headlights according to a uniform standard, thereby reducing production costs. The beam propagation, power, and irradiation range will then be modeled in software to comply with local regulations.
The best example is that right- and left-hand drive countries have opposite requirements for beams, often requiring different headlights, but Tesla claims their patent can simulate the beam using only computer software, using headlamp controllers and LED matrices to produce the desired beam, rather than the geometry of the reflector.
For Tesla users, when you go from one country to another, the headlights automatically adapt to local requirements. To achieve this, Tesla needed a database that met local needs, as well as a feature that triggered changes based on the vehicle's GPS location.