Wednesday 17th December 2014

Seeing the light: PH Blog

Why self-dipping headlights are one piece of tech even Luddites like Dan can get behind

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I'll admit to being something of a Luddite when it comes to in-car tech and automation. Really, how hard is it to switch your wipers on? Or lights? Or, even, slide your own seat back and forth? Possibly my Yorkshire background but whenever I get in a car with powered and/or automated stuff in it I fast forward a couple of decades to the point where I might actually be in a position to buy it, suck my teeth and mutter "'eeh, that'll cost if it goes wrong."

Optional lights an extra worth coughing up for

An example. The mate I talked into buying a C63 a little while back. One of the three powered lumbar support things went on the seat and he was basically told "we'd have to take the whole seat apart ... really you're better off just living with it." Man can live without powered lumbar support. But OCD man can be driven to distraction at the thought that Something Isn't Right, even if it's not actually needed.

And those windscreens festooned with cameras, sensors and the rest for your active lane keeping and similar. How much to replace one of those bad boys when you get a stone chip on the M25? An inconvenient insurance claim on a new car. A possible write-off for the Sheddist two decades hence. Nor do I especially like steering that nudges me back in line when I get within two feet of a white line, mirrors that flash every time there's someone alongside me or autonomous brakes that decide to bring the car to a dead stop mid lane-change because something didn't compute, as happened recently in a Golf R. If you can't steer, check your own mirrors or operate the brakes without assistance maybe driving ain't your thing.

Enough moaning though. Seasonally dark and dingy roads mean I've found a modern gadget I actually like! When I heard about automated high beam systems and self-dipping headlights I was ready to lump them in with all the other hated 'assist' systems. I even drove my BMW 435i long-termer for five out of six months without trying them. Idiot! They're actually brilliant, especially for those long winter drives on unlit rural roads.

Audi Matrix LEDs can peer either side of traffic

The M3 we had in recently had the optional Adaptive LED lights, which include the High-Beam Assist for £1,600. A fairly burly option price but if you drive outside of city limits well worth it in my view because, unlike the nannying of most other safety systems, these actually empower you and encourage engagement with surroundings rather than seek to isolate you from them.

It's a bit unnerving leaving the blue full beam light on in the face of oncoming traffic but the way the beam - like your eyes - attempts to pick out the near-side verge with additional illumination is genuinely useful. Likewise the way it peers around either side of slower moving cars ahead of you, giving you full-beam visibility without dazzling the poor sod in front.

Audi's sci-fi sounding Matrix LED lights introduced on the A8 (a £2,375 option on Sport spec versions of the new TT or £945 on S Line) are even more intelligent. They can pick out cyclists and pedestrians with a quick flash of the headlight pointing in their direction, pre-empt bends via the navigation and can 'track' an oncoming car to maintain full beam either side without dazzling them. And more than any other technology it's this I notice most when I drive an older car at night - mechanically they're more than capable but the pitiful lighting really holds you back and makes it a considerably more stressful experience.

The rest of your 'assists' you can keep. But I'll have this one, ta.

Dan

[Dale487]

I'm a Yorkshire Luddite at heat too but wish I put more tech on my Fabia Monte Carlo - the sat nav & blue tooth are awesome but I wish I added rear electric windows, parking sensors & cruise control

[Dale487]

I'm a Yorkshire Luddite at heart too - I never liked electric stuff for the sake of it, ie seats, mirrors, steering wheels.

But I wush I spec'd more tech on my Fabua Monte Carlo as the blue tooth & sat nav are brilliant. I wish I added rear electric windows (after a passenger moaned about body building windows in the back - how rude!), parking sensors (the one bit of driving I hate & no one wants to ruin their new car) & cruise control for good measure.

I do still have a soft spit for stripped out specials - 106 Rallye & 968 CS

[Dale487]

shoestring7 said:

Really can't understand why manufacturers load up seats with electronics. Most of us use those heavy motors just the once to set a decent position, and then they sit there waiting to go wrong. As for a massage function; get a fecking life, all you need is a well designed, supportive seat with a decent relationship to wheel and pedals, decent damping & NVH, and long distance comfort is completely sorted.

Mind you I do like current gen. LED and Xenon lights.

SS7

I never understand electric driving position adjustment either (may be I do on a Rolls Royce) - there's over half a foot in height between me & the wife - all we do is slide the seat back & forth, both of us are happy & takes 1 second (it'd take about a week with s motor)