The future of headlights...
This is some amazing headlighting tech from Citroen called Matrix LED Vision I think, particularly striking in the video from 0:50 and 1:15Amazing how the matrix of 30 or so LEDs can be individually switched to prevent dazzling other drivers with main beam on. I think that's what the £1000 ish option oneg. the Ford Edge does. My VW Arteon has similar. Best headlights I've ever experienced Old tech been on BMWs for at least 5 years, mine also turn with the steering wheel as you corner or go round a bend Yep, nothing new, my Astra H had lights that followed the steering, IIRC the first car to have that was the citreon DS decades ago.
The Astra J also had lights that moved the beams around depending on the driving/speed etc.
Some BMWs split the beams for incoming traffic or that in front of you, The Volvo system is incredible as well. Active high beam and cornering lights work really well, and much better compared to other cars I've driven with Active high beam.
The Adaptive Shadow technology recognises if there's a foot path or verge on the inside and lights that up too.
On the country roads I live on the 3 different systems work really well together. DS was first with swivelling as far as I know. But not blocking oncoming traffic or the one in front is nothing new. Audi, Mercedes BMW had it for many years.
Heck Mercedes even creates Satnav directions on the road data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 I was followed cross country by a BMW SUV the other evening and on every significant bend I was dazzled by his full beams which then dipped when he straightened up. Presumably he had some version of this system.
My auto dimming rear view mirror dealt with that fairly effectively but obviously not my wing mirrors so at every turn his 'clever lights' messed up my night vision and made me - the car leading the way - have a harder time seeing the road ahead.
I was pleased I was only going a couple of miles with him behind me.
My village also has no street lighting so walking you get blinded by idiots using undipped headlights in the 30mph, I can only imagine that will get worse when drivers stop controlling their own full beams.
This strikes me as a solution to a problem that doesn't exist and encourages yet more disengaged driving. The sooner the robots take this over the better. The difference here is that the DS implementation isn't moving the light units, it's switching different elements of a matrix to control the beam pattern.
Could be that nasty little DS3 Crossback's only redeeming feature.
Lest I be accused of bias, I should point out that I'm a very happy DS3 owner! About time they do something about the lights. My pet peev are cars that light left and right fog lights depending on how you turn your wheel.
But to be serious, what they should do is install a pernament auto light system in every car. One that you cannot switch off. So that lights automatically come on in poor conditions. The amount of idiots driving after dusk or in rain or in fog with no headlights on is astounding. See and be seen.
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