Description
Available in Europe and Asia for more than a decade, adaptive driving beams, or A.D.B.s, were cleared for use on American roads by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2022. A.D.B.s direct light precisely where illumination is needed, while masking it from the eyes of oncoming drivers.
Tom Voelk takes a 2026 Rivian R1S Quad out for a demonstration of how A.D.B.s work to show why you'll want everyone on the road to have them.
This is a companion video to The New York Times piece "Smart Headlights Finally Trickle Down to Cars in the U.S."
To read the article on The New York Times website, here's a gift pass- https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/28/business/smart-headlights-adaptive.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ElE.UTd6.FOGACsMDIOID&smid=url-share
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About Tom: Tom Voelk is an award-winning automotive contributor to The New York Times. His podcast was the first to win an Emmy Award (and he's won for photography, editing, producing and reporting).