RE: PH Origins: Directional headlights
Discussion
My father bought one of the last, if not the very last D Super imported. PFA 150M. The steering main beam lamps were my second favourite feature, after the amazing town and country horn. Both features prohibited soon after, hence our having to do without them until the lame foglight corner illumination...
manracer said:
My m240i had matrix headlights nearly 2 years ago, rather impressive.
My Scirocco R has adaptive xenon on both high and dipped beam as well as cornering lights integrated into the headlight housing.
You won't have had "matrix" that is an Audi term. My Scirocco R has adaptive xenon on both high and dipped beam as well as cornering lights integrated into the headlight housing.
The big 3 German systems until recently were quite different in setup and in some cases still are.
Bmw is actually a reflector LED system that mechanically moves the headlight around and uses that to also do high beam assist which can include selective beam which is the headlight beam splitting. I have this on my 640D and it is amazing to head with main beam on and seeing them dance around oncoming or vehicles in front. Bmw source their systems from a mixture depending on model some are from automotive lighting and hella.
It should be noted as well that the laserlight system is also reflector and simply has an even larger main beam system than LED.
Mercedes has used a mixture of reflector on older led models with this technology of beam splitting but is moving to projector style systems to introduce signs being effectively beamed onto the road surface in front of the driver.
Audi with the matrix system which has been always a projector setup. Is totally electronic and involves no mechanical bits. Matrix I believe is sourced from hella.
Another feature many do not realise with these latest generation of headlights is that depending on speed then the dipped beam pattern actually subtly changes as well from longer and narrower to shorter and wider to give a better experience.
Alucidnation said:
Surely these 'matrix' style headlights are quite distracting when driving a car with them fitted?
No distractions for me as the driver, the illumination is amazing but I do wonder what it’s like for the car in front as I light up both sides of the road alongside them. They aren’t dazzled, you can see them in shade and I’ve never been flashed from oncoming vehicles for dazzling them.
(VW LED DLA system).
Surely the trouble with all these systems is tehy try to be terrain folowing but cant keep up and can make things worse
You either blind people coming towards you as you go over bumps in the road or as someone else said it's like being followed by someone with arc lights - you might as well turn your own lights off
You either blind people coming towards you as you go over bumps in the road or as someone else said it's like being followed by someone with arc lights - you might as well turn your own lights off
The DS and possibly an SM one day, both cars on my bucket list.
A few years ago I bought a DS5 with directional headlamps, which are brilliant. My only gripe is that it also features the cornering fog light thing, but you can't select them individually in the settings. You only have the option for adaptive lighting, so by turning the cornering fog lights thing off you also loose the directional Xenons. Still trying to figure out a way to disable the fog lights only.
A few years ago I bought a DS5 with directional headlamps, which are brilliant. My only gripe is that it also features the cornering fog light thing, but you can't select them individually in the settings. You only have the option for adaptive lighting, so by turning the cornering fog lights thing off you also loose the directional Xenons. Still trying to figure out a way to disable the fog lights only.
In fairness most lighting systems are not responsive enough when it comes to bumps and changes in elevation as at any point the oncoming road user will be exposed to the "beam".
In regards to bumps then the systems are necessarily "designed" to respond to that, all they are really do have is "levelling" sensors, usually on the rear, and even then usually on one side only, and that is irrespective of having these systems fitted or not.
In relation to "blinding" oncoming users, then it is all camera based from the windscreen (in fact in many cases one single camera covers "multiple" uses for which the data is then input to specific uses).
Having been followed by one of these systems they do work well, and equally I have it on my own 640. I have had more "moments" with people flashing when on dipped beam than when using the full automated system....which is kind of ironic. In regards to going down the side mine do not they virtually stop at the side of the rear bumper. But I like them from the perspective they give a very good width for my main commute road which is all twisting A road, that has the occasional flooding point so the extra width and distance is very helpful.
The other issue at play here is that at the lower of the LED spectrum without these adaptive main beam solutions have removed the washer jets and reduced the lumens down to not need them, unlike the more expensive ones.
Another factor is that whilst these systems have disadvantages I do not think road users on roads where main beam would aid use it enough almost in fear of using it because they actually have to do something. What does amuse me is I actually think some road users just use the foglights on the front to some how make up for their lack of understanding, where they could see far better by using main beam.
In regards to bumps then the systems are necessarily "designed" to respond to that, all they are really do have is "levelling" sensors, usually on the rear, and even then usually on one side only, and that is irrespective of having these systems fitted or not.
In relation to "blinding" oncoming users, then it is all camera based from the windscreen (in fact in many cases one single camera covers "multiple" uses for which the data is then input to specific uses).
Having been followed by one of these systems they do work well, and equally I have it on my own 640. I have had more "moments" with people flashing when on dipped beam than when using the full automated system....which is kind of ironic. In regards to going down the side mine do not they virtually stop at the side of the rear bumper. But I like them from the perspective they give a very good width for my main commute road which is all twisting A road, that has the occasional flooding point so the extra width and distance is very helpful.
The other issue at play here is that at the lower of the LED spectrum without these adaptive main beam solutions have removed the washer jets and reduced the lumens down to not need them, unlike the more expensive ones.
Another factor is that whilst these systems have disadvantages I do not think road users on roads where main beam would aid use it enough almost in fear of using it because they actually have to do something. What does amuse me is I actually think some road users just use the foglights on the front to some how make up for their lack of understanding, where they could see far better by using main beam.
Edited by Ninja59 on Thursday 22 November 09:34
AppleJuice said:
Makes today's foglamp-based 'cornering lights' seem a backward step and rather crude/basic.
I don't agree at all. My mate has an SM, I've got a Merc with ILS (adaptive, cornering Xenons).He told me that the trouble with the Citroen system is that it's mechanical and therefore prone to failure.
A lot of the modern systems are pure electronics - ie they have no moving parts - so mean time between failure is vastly improved.
Plus, of course, you can do so much more with today's tech.
The headlights on mine are astonishingly good.
SM = great idea. MB = better execution.
AC43 said:
AppleJuice said:
Makes today's foglamp-based 'cornering lights' seem a backward step and rather crude/basic.
I don't agree at all. My mate has an SM, I've got a Merc with ILS (adaptive, cornering Xenons).He told me that the trouble with the Citroen system is that it's mechanical and therefore prone to failure.
A lot of the modern systems are pure electronics - ie they have no moving parts - so mean time between failure is vastly improved.
Plus, of course, you can do so much more with today's tech.
The headlights on mine are astonishingly good.
SM = great idea. MB = better execution.
The only car I've been in to my knowledge with adaptive headlights is the Mazda 6 and outside of urban areas as soon as you start driving at a decent pace the lights automatically raise and the oncoming cars occasionally flash you back so it must be causing them issues.
Just had a look and the feature activates at 59mph:
Highway Mode
Adaptive LED Headlights automatically raise the axis of illumination when vehicle speed exceeds 95 km/h. This enhances visibility at a distance, helping drivers to recognize traffic signs and potential hazards
http://www.mazda.com/en/innovation/technology/safe...
Just had a look and the feature activates at 59mph:
Highway Mode
Adaptive LED Headlights automatically raise the axis of illumination when vehicle speed exceeds 95 km/h. This enhances visibility at a distance, helping drivers to recognize traffic signs and potential hazards
http://www.mazda.com/en/innovation/technology/safe...
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Used to go down the road on my lunchbreak when working down Stamford Street, the amount of pictures those cars generated from passers by was astounding, moreso than supercars that are parked.Bonefish Blues said:
AC43 said:
AppleJuice said:
Makes today's foglamp-based 'cornering lights' seem a backward step and rather crude/basic.
I don't agree at all. My mate has an SM, I've got a Merc with ILS (adaptive, cornering Xenons).He told me that the trouble with the Citroen system is that it's mechanical and therefore prone to failure.
A lot of the modern systems are pure electronics - ie they have no moving parts - so mean time between failure is vastly improved.
Plus, of course, you can do so much more with today's tech.
The headlights on mine are astonishingly good.
SM = great idea. MB = better execution.
It was just interesting to get my Citroen-owning mate's take on on it which was that (45 years ago) Citroen's take on it was brilliant but flawed.
This is of course the time that the Americans were sending men into space using computers less powerful than my laptop, etc etc.
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