Exactly like other components of modern vehicles, the headlamp has a much longer history than the automobile itself. Its origin can be traced back to horse-driven wagons. The materials used, design and power source may have changed nevertheless the fundamental purpose remains the same.

A headlamp is simply designed to illuminate the pathway of a vehicle during low-visibility conditions such as nighttime and rainfall. The definition of headlamp may be the more formal term as opposed to headlight. The latter identifies the light beam that's projected by the device. This light beam is typically focused by way of a parabolic reflector and by single or multiple glass lenses.

The earliest automotive headlamps were introduced in the latter par of the 1880's when the original self-propelled "horseless" carriages became practical. These headlamps were fuelled by acetylene or oil. These acetylene headlamps became highly popular because of their practicality in comparison to other kinds of lamps during the first development of automobiles. Acetylene headlamps are resistant to both rain and wind.

Although engine powered automobiles were still in their development and prototype stage, they truly became a lot more than mere curiosities. Consequently, the technological innovations for headlamps also went hand-in-hand with the development of automobiles.

Even though the mass production of automobiles only started in 1902, the development of numerous components of the modern automobile has already taken shape many years earlier. It was in 1898 that electric-powered headlamps on the Columbia Electric Cars. However, these electric headlamps were optional.

Electric headlamps may was probably the most cost-effective and safer option. However, there have been two main factors that prevented the widespread usage of electric headlamps in the first automobiles. The first main factor was the short life of the lamp filaments that were unable to conform to harsh environmental elements such as rain, dust and fluctuating temperatures. The next main factor that limited the widespread usage of electric headlights was the insufficiency of electric energy due to the technical difficulties in manufacturing efficient dynamos and batteries.

By 1904, the utilization of "Prest-O-Lite" acetylene headlamps became the conventional when majority of car manufacturers integrated these lamps in their cars. However, this is soon superseded by electric headlamps when Peerless Motor Company dominated the high-end automobile market in 1908. Meanwhile, it had been also during the same year that the world's first complete group of electric car lights was introduced by Pockley Automobile Electric Lighting Syndicate. The set was made up of headlamps, sidelights, and taillights. The set was powered by an eight-volt battery.

It took another four years before the automobile lights were integrated with the automobile ignition system. It was in 1912 that Cadillac's innovative idea paved just how for the conventional integration the lighting system with the ignition system. The current automobile electrical system was born.

Other latter innovations included the dipping headlamp which allowed for low beams. This is introduced in 1915 by the Guide Lamp Company. Nonetheless, it was only in 1917 that it was made more practical by Cadillac, eliminating the requirement to go out of the car just to improve the settings. It took about seven years of research and development before the high beam and low beam were built-into one bulb. This is introduced by Bilux in 1924. As the normal expression goes, the rest was history.