Actually plenty of cars sold in the USA with factory HIDs don't have any kind of self-leveling. From what I have seen of cars in Europe, at least, it appears most countries there (and Scandinavia, UK, etc.) must require both them and washers.
Oddly enough, if one ordered HIDs on US Mercedes-Benz SLs back in the 1990s, M-B deleted the washer/wiper setup.
How bizarre that Europe should be so strict on manufacturing methods yet allow the resale of such aftermarket kits but USA don't insist on self levelling yet make importing the kits illegal.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Agency and the EPA both have a bunch of Laws restricting what we can and can not do...with a car, van, or truck
BUT the written law usually has no teeth or is so poorly written that no good law enforcement officer can take it to court
My two biggest angers from annoyances on the road are from super bright (Blinding me) lights and super loud exhaust (waking me in my house 700 feet from any road)....both federally controlled and prohibited modifications... generally zero enforcment...even in a state that has a mandated annual safety inspection
And for what it is worth... I drive my smart out in the country up and down hills and around corners in deer infested areas... the factory lights are more then adequate and actually very good... I can see as far down the road as if in my 4x4 F350 on high beam... I see no reason to spend money to change them
Fred... driver and fellow public road using citizen....
My two biggest angers from annoyances on the road are from super bright (Blinding me) lights and super loud exhaust (waking me in my house 700 feet from any road)....both federally controlled and prohibited modifications...
Fred... driver and fellow public road using citizen....
Let us not forget the clown with the boom box blowing out my house windows 700 feet away!!!!!
Perhaps if many (including moderators) are concerned with the HID headlight conversion being safe, legal, etc, , then perhaps the following paragraph in this website's "Smart Fourtwo Driving Tips" needs to be rewritten:
"It's important to check your Smart car's headlights from time to time, and you may consider replacing the standard headlight bulbs with a Xenon HID headlight bulb."
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