Lamp units for radiating a beam ahead of a vehicle in a light distribution
pattern are housed in a lamp body. Illumination of the auxiliary lamp
units is controlled based on driving conditions. Illumination control
means extinguish light through dimming by gradually decreasing voltage
applied to the light sources. When the applied voltage has dropped to a
threshold value, the applied voltage is controlled to zero immediately.
Compared to when the lamps remaining in an illuminated state are suddenly
extinguished, a change in quantity of light is mild, and no uncertainty
arises. Below a threshold value where the applied voltage gradually drops
to the threshold value and a change may arise in the filament crystalline
structure due to annealing at a transition temperature, the applied
voltage approaches zero. Hence, the filament does not pass from the
transition temperature while being rapidly cooled, thus avoiding filament
crystalline structure change.