Lights.com—Auto Map Lights
Auto map lights are valuable accessories for any frequent car traveler to have available in the car. Nearly all automobiles come standard with interior, overhead lights that are great for illuminating the entire car interior. However, during nighttime driving conditions, illuminating the entire interior can interfere with the ability to see outside the car clearly.
In these instances, it is convenient to have a smaller, more focused map light that directs its beam narrowly on whatever item needs illumination. In doing so, you or your passenger can quickly see what you need to see without affecting your outside visibility. The map light can also be used by the passenger to read without disturbing the driver.
Installing Map Lights
Many newer cars feature pre-installed map lights in addition to the standard overhead globe lights. The lights are often located on the underside of the rear-view mirror and can sometimes be aimed where they need to focus. Unfortunately, many older cars only feature the standard, non-focused overhead globe.
Luckily, many companies, such as Coleman, offer portable map lights that either run on small batteries or directly from the car battery via the cigarette lighter outlet. These map lights can be easily taken from car to car wherever they are needed and offer more flexibility than factory installed map lights. With a removable map light, you'll be able to further control the area of illumination and further limit the degree to which the driver's visibility is hindered.