In case you didn't know, headlight technology has been steadily advancing for quite some time. If you've only noticed headlamps getting brighter, well, you probably live in the United States, where most advanced automotive lighting technology has been restricted due to outdated legislation. Elsewhere in the world, headlights can do things like dim around oncoming traffic while painting a high-beam level of lighting in your lane, or turn down the brightness on some blinding reflective signage.

These sorts of headlights aren't currently allowed in the U.S., but now the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R.3684) that's set to become law says it's time to change that. Within 24 months, it's likely you'll be wowed by a tsunami of advanced lighting technology on new vehicles.

The text that enables this change is relatively straightforward. Under section 24212 of the bill, which is appropriately titled "HEADLAMPS," it's stated that "Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue a final rule amending Standard 108"—that's the transportation regulation pertaining to headlight design. The bill states that this section of the code should be amended "to allow for the use on vehicles of adaptive driving beam headlamp systems." In a nutshell, once H.R.3684 gets passed, the transportation secretary has two years to make adaptive headlights a thing in the United States. It could happen sooner, but that's the maximum timeline.

If you're curious how lawmakers saw fit to describe adaptive headlamps, they referred to the Society of Automotive Engineers for that. The group's International Standard J3069 defines what they are rather clearly. If you want to spend $85, you can read the international standard in all of its excruciating detail. I've heard it's a real page-turner.

So, our dark national nightmare is almost over. If you've ever complained about ultra-bright high beams, well, higher trim versions of new cars are gonna start being your new favorites. Since many cars sold outside the United States already have this technology, it's more than likely that a number of models will be equipped with these systems in short order.

Smash and grab thefts have become so commonplace in California’s Bay Area that some car owners are now leaving the trunks open of their parked vehicles to dissuade thieves from breaking in.

Last week, images went viral online of two SUVs parked next to each other in the Bay Area with their trunks open. Local authorities have dissuaded other motorists from following suit.

Speaking with Inside Edition, the owner of an SUV that leaves the trunk open said that she does it to show that there is nothing inside for thieves to take. However, San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) deputy chief Garret Tom said that “there’s so much that can go wrong” with doing this, noting that thieves can easily access the front of the vehicle if the trunk is left open and access identifying documents about the owner in the glove compartment.

Thefts from vehicles have jumped 32 per cent in 2021 and between September and October of this year, spiked by 25 per cent. Department data also reveals that there has been a 27 per cent increase in vehicle break-ins and vehicle burglaries this year.

SFPD public information officer Adam Lobsinger added that locals whose vehicles are the targets of thefts should file police reports to help authorities identify perpetrators and increase patrols in affected areas.

“With this data, we can identify crime hotspots, which allows us to be more strategic with our staffing and patrols as well as conduct more effective operations, respond more rapidly to crimes in progress and serve as a visual deterrent to would-be criminals,” Lobsinger told Newsweek. “The community is likely to see increased patrols, foot beats and officers on fixed post in identified crime hot spots.”

The famed ‘derestricted’ nature of the autobahn isn’t quite as simple as is often made out. The case of a Bugatti Chiron hitting 259mph (417kmh) posted on YouTube has brought this into focus. The German Transport Ministry felt the need to put out a statement critical of the driver, Radim Passer, and now, it turns out the police has taken a particular interest in the Czech tycoon’s high-speed use of a public road.

According to Der Spiegel, a police spokesperson confirmed that Passer is under investigation for performing (translated from German) an “illegal street race” and branded his actions “irresponsible”. The public prosecutor’s office in nearby Stendal has confirmed it will look at the case.

Passer said he filmed the run in July 2021, before posting it as part of a slickly edited video on YouTube the following November. He claimed there was “visibility along the whole stretch” of the A2 used for the run, and that “safety was a priority”.

While parts of the autobahn, including the six-mile section of the A2 featured in the video, do indeed lack a posted speed limit, this doesn’t necessarily give you a free pass to go as fast as you want. When the German Transport Ministry publically chastised Passer, it pointed to a particularly relevant piece of German traffic law - “anyone participating in traffic must behave in such a way that no other person is harmed, endangered or obstructed or inconvenienced more than is unavoidable under the circumstances.”

The Bugatti’s high-speed test was performed early in the morning, but the road wasn’t empty. Several considerably slower vehicles were passed, albeit two lanes over.

A further in-depth report from Spiegel points to section 315d for the German criminal code titled ‘prohibited motor vehicle races’. Paragraph 3 states that a road user who “moves as a motor vehicle driver at an inappropriate speed and grossly contrary to traffic and recklessly in order to achieve the highest possible speed shall be punished with imprisonment of up to two years or with a fine.”

It should also be noted that when a part of the autobahn has no mandatory speed limit, there is still a recommended limit of 130kmh (80mph) in place. Speeds above that figure can lead to a shift in liability between parties in the event of an accident.

Even before the controversy arose from Passer’s video, the autobahn’s unique take on speed limits was under debate. Surveys have shown that the majority of Germans back the introduction of a blanket limit. Last year this looked to be a distinct possibility amid the forming of a coalition government between the Green Party and the Free Democrats. However, the former’s manifesto pledge for an emissions-cutting 80mph limit was dropped.