Seeing and being seen: both are only possible with the help of light. And both are essential for road safety. Even the first cars had the simplest of headlamps. Today there are state-of-the-art light concepts such as DIGITAL LIGHT, with which Mercedes-Benz lives up to its tradition of high safety standards. At the darker times of year in particular, light is one of the key safety factors, as the risk of an accident still doubles when darkness falls. Vehicle lighting has long been about much more than a vehicle's light source. It also enhances convenience and design. From candlelight in 1886 to cutting-edge light concepts such as DIGITAL LIGHT − the inventor of the automobile has introduced numerous lighting innovations. 1886: Like their technical predecessor, the horse-drawn carriage, the world's first cars were equipped with candlelit lanterns offering just a few metres of visibility. Driving in the dark was therefore something of an adventure. Petroleum and carbi