A neighbor of my parents has a 2001+ BMW 3 or 5 series.....sorry I can't remember.

Anyway, the headlamp is a reflector housing with a clear lense, no angles eyes, if that helps. I noticed that the reflector has no pattern at all to it......just a chrome inverted dome.

So my question is....how is that lamp able to properly refract light with no optical pattern on the lense or reflector?

Does anyone even know what car I'm talking about? I'll try to find a picture of it.

i think its a 2000+ 323 series:



I just know it's definantly not xenon, or projector with angel eyes.

They did not pay the option for the projectors so all it is a regular halogen reflector setup.

I know.........I was just wondering how the optics work in that type of lense since there is no mirror pattern.....just a smooth flat surface (curved)reflector.

The newer reflector your describing use computers to calculate reflector surface points based on bulb position so the light is directed to where its required.

How does it do that? You mean when they first design the headlamp?

Yes (reflector).

it's kinda like how a flashlights reflector reflects light. light is reflected to predetermined spots out on the road.