A car swerve light, more commonly known as a Active Cornering Light or Static Bending Light, is a safety feature that illuminates the road in the direction you are turning. When you turn the steering wheel or use your turn signal, an additional bulb or a mechanism that adjusts the main headlight beam lights up a specific area to your left or right. This greatly improves visibility around corners and at intersections, helping you spot potential hazards like pedestrians, animals, or debris much earlier than with standard headlights.
This technology differs from Adaptive Headlights (or Adaptive Driving Beams), which are more advanced systems that physically pivot the entire headlight unit as you steer. Swerve lights are often a simpler, more fixed solution. They typically activate at lower speeds, such as when navigating a parking lot or a sharp neighborhood street, and may not function above a certain speed, like 25-40 mph.
The primary benefit is enhanced safety. By lighting your path of travel, these lights reduce the stress of driving on dark, winding roads. They are increasingly common on modern vehicles, from mainstream brands like Mazda (which calls it AFLS) to luxury marques.
Here is a comparison of how different automakers implement this feature:
| Automaker | Feature Name | Typical Activation Trigger | Key Characteristic |
|---|
| Mazda | Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS) | Steering wheel angle & speed | Headlight housing pivots |
| Ford / Lincoln | Static Bending Lamps | Turn signal or steering input | Separate cornering lamp illuminates |
| BMW | Cornering Lights | Steering input & vehicle speed | Often uses the fog light as the swerve light |
| Honda/Acura | Automatic Lighting | Turn signal at low speeds | Activates even before you start turning |
| Volkswagen/Audi | Cornering Illumination | Steering angle & speed | Integrated LED module within the headlight |
| Mercedes-Benz | Cornering Lights | Steering input & speed below 25 mph | Illuminates a wide area to the side |
