What is it for?

Its main function is to manage the movement of the light beam. Depending on the specific vehicle configuration, it takes care of:

• Automatic Leveling: Adjusts the angle of the headlights based on the load in the car (e.g. if you have a full trunk) to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.

• Forward-facing lights (AFS): Rotates the headlight lenses toward the inside of the curve when you turn the steering wheel, improving nighttime visibility when turning.

• Xenon/LED Management: In many cases, it acts as an interface between the vehicle's attitude sensors and the actuator motors inside the headlight.

On which cars is it installed?

This component is produced by Koito, a Japanese lighting giant, and is mainly fitted to cars of Asian brands (and some luxury models) that use Xenon or LED headlights.

Here are the main models on which it can be found:

• Mazda: It is very common on the Mazda 3 (BL series), Mazda 6 (GH and GJ series) and the Mazda CX-3 SUV.

• Nissan: It is used on Qashqai (J11) and X-Trail (T32).

• Infiniti: Several models including the Q50 sedan.

• Lexus: Used on various models to control HID/LED headlight leveling.

• Toyota: Present on some high-end models or specific versions (such as the Hilux or facelifted versions of sedans).

Practical note: If you need to replace it, always check that the part number matches exactly. Even if they look identical on the outside, the internal software varies depending on whether the car has headlights that swivel sideways or only move vertically.