What Are Puddle Lights?

Puddle lights are the car lamps placed just below the mirror. These illuminate the ground near the car door. Puddle lights prevent you from stepping into a, well, puddle or anything murky when getting into your car. 

Puddle lights have been around for over a decade now. Car companies have been getting creative by adding special lenses and projectors which display the logo or the message on the ground. These lights don’t come standard in most cars, but they can be great add-on accessories. 

Many drivers feel that there is not much use for a puddle light apart from it being one of those modifications that add a feature just for the sake of it. Let’s see in this article whether puddle lights have a real purpose or are they just an addition to the long list of features in a car that means nothing to the regular driver.

Early Days

Car manufacturers introduced puddle lights nearly two decades ago. These lights were designed to help the driver avoid puddles or other unpleasant surfaces when getting into the car. They were initially a functional feature. However, over the past several years, luxury car makers like Buick, Mini, Land Rover and the like started to put unique puddle lights in their vehicles. These lights show the marque’s logo projected beside the driver’s door. This marketing gimmick and other puddle light “features” have gradually turned the lights into a status statement instead of a nifty car convenience.

Do We Really Need Puddle Lights?

The short answer is simple and straightforward - NO! Puddle lights are a fancy add-on for most vehicles. Do you need them as much as your rearview mirror or keeping your engine oil levels in check? Absolutely not. However, they do help drivers who drive on ice and through polluted areas to avoid stepping into something unpleasant or hazardous. 

Many cars feature puddle lights on all doors, and we understand that the idea is thoughtful, but is it necessary, after all? If you talk about puddle lights as an additional safety feature, then there’s a valid argument. On the other hand, if you’re looking for extras to cut from your car’s trim to save cost without losing functionality, puddle lights are right there at the top of the list. 

From puddle lights to back cameras to lane departure warnings to parking sensors, there are so many features in a car that rake the price up for relatively minor increases in comfort and safety. All in all, puddle lights add a bit of niche convenience in situations where you’re trying to get in or get out of the car in hazardous or dirty environments. But beyond that, they do little apart from increasing the sticker price on your dream car.

Summary

Puddle light can be a necessary feature if you live in a place where it snows a lot, but for a regular driver, with typical weather and driving, this feature is not much of an add-on. Puddle lights are mostly added to luxury cars to up the style and status quotient instead of being something that’s truly necessary. When considering whether or not to put in puddle lights, think about the following:

Do you live where it snows a lot or the temperature dips below freezing? If you do, puddle lights could help you to avoid slipping on ice when exiting your car. If you live in a big city with waste disposal issues, puddle lights are an equally valid consideration. 

Do you want a “flashier” ride? If you’re already investing a significant chunk of money into a luxury vehicle, puddle lights can help dial up your style. 

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