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BMW's Laser Headlights

wot.motortrend.com

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Re: BMW's Laser Headlights

#31

Post by sliverstorm »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #27
bradleyland wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure about other countries, but all vehicles sold with HID (the bright blue headlights that many people find annoying) headlights in the US must come with an auto-leveling system. I'm almost 100% certain that the standards are the same or higher in Europe.

The fact that (as you point out) those bright blue headlights are especially offensive to many people would suggest that the auto-leveling system is not doing its job.

The more blue the lights are, the greater the chance they are not factory; some schmuck stuck HID bulbs in halogen housings. This means no auto-leveling, no proper beam focusing, etc. It is already widely known that doing so is a Very Bad Idea (tm), but some people have absolutely no deference to their fellow drivers on the road.

Re: BMW's Laser Headlights

#32

Post by leephillips »

cenhyperion wrote: post #29
leephillips wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I feel that the oncoming vehicle's lights are too bright, they get my high beams, which stay on them, despite their frantic high beam flashing. If more people did this, perhaps these people would switch back to their OEM lights. EDIT: Not talking about the lights described in the article, but people who replace their cars' original lights with brighter ones.

> When I feel that the oncoming vehicle's lights are too bright, they get my high beams, which stay on them, despite their frantic high beam flashing. If more people did this, perhaps these people would switch back to their OEM lights. Sounds like you're really endangering other people's lives in response to an annoyance.

Not in response to an "annoyance". I feel that they are selfishly endangering me and the other drivers on the road.

Re: BMW's Laser Headlights

#33

Post by bradleyland »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #27
bradleyland wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure about other countries, but all vehicles sold with HID (the bright blue headlights that many people find annoying) headlights in the US must come with an auto-leveling system. I'm almost 100% certain that the standards are the same or higher in Europe.

The fact that (as you point out) those bright blue headlights are especially offensive to many people would suggest that the auto-leveling system is not doing its job.

The OP said, "The real problem is that, at least in the US, no one seems to care about keeping their headlights aimed properly..." I'm only pointing out that proper adjustment isn't the issue.

The matter of HID headlight annoyance is well-trodden territory in automotive circles. Owning a car with them equipped, I appreciate the additional visibility. On the flip side, living in an area where they are common, I appreciate that they can be blinding if you're caught in the beam.

Re: BMW's Laser Headlights

#34

Post by JohnTHaller »

christoph wrote: post #2

It might just be me, mainly because I drive an "old" car that doesn't dim/adjust my rear view mirror based on others drivers lights, but I find the uber brightness of other drivers lights to be a real pain these days. Often on the motorway I struggle to see ANYTHING as i'm being constantly blinded by other drivers high power lights behind me and when oncoming. I get its meant to be a safety feature, but for a lot of…

It isn't the HID lights themselves. All proper HID lights on new cars come with auto-leveling systems which will keep them from throwing light at your rear view mirror. You actually wind up with less light in your rear view than with traditional headlights. When you look at them, they'll look like projector lights and you can see them move up and down as a car goes over a hill, for instance.

The problem is that aftermarket kits are used to install HID lights into standard headlight enclosures. This is base-level idiocy on the part of tinkerers to 'improve' their cars and make them look more modern. There may be a corresponding 'Type R' badge on the back to make the car go faster as well. These will throw a TON of light at your rear view and blind you. These are illegal in most states and I wish this law were enforced without exception everywhere in the world.

Re: BMW's Laser Headlights

#35

Post by tempestn »

leephillips wrote: post #32
cenhyperion wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> When I feel that the oncoming vehicle's lights are too bright, they get my high beams, which stay on them, despite their frantic high beam flashing. If more people did this, perhaps these people would switch back to their OEM lights. Sounds like you're really endangering other people's lives in response to an annoyance.

Not in response to an "annoyance". I feel that they are selfishly endangering me and the other drivers on the road.

Even if that's the case, the correct response is not to endanger them right back. That's like people who tailgate because they think the person in front of them is going too slow, or the ones who slow down because they think the person behind them is going too fast. Two wrongs don't make a right; they just make things twice as bad, or worse.

Re: BMW's Laser Headlights

#36

Post by auctiontheory »

StavrosK wrote: post #17
blahedo wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Xenon lights are obnoxious because they are so much bluer than standard lights, they are that much more blinding; outdoor lights that are too blue (or full-spectrum) have the paradoxical effect of making everything darker by contrast, and much harder to see. I can't stand cars that have xenon lights, and I was glad to see their numbers start to decline in the last couple years.

My car also self-levels its xenon lights, and they are never at the other drivers' level. I never see anyone being bothered by them at all.

I never see anyone being bothered by them at all.

WTF. How on earth would you know whether drivers going in the opposite direction were being blinded by your lights?!

Re: BMW's Laser Headlights

#37

Post by belluchan »

> Like Xenon headlights, power is immediately cut to the laser headlights in the event of any damage.

As a software engineer this statement really bugs me. Once something is damaged in the real world you can't assume control over the system anymore. The part that cuts or provides the power to the laser might have been the thing damaged. Maybe if they had added a qualifier like "power should be cut" instead of such certitude.

Re: BMW's Laser Headlights

#38

Post by spullara »

I'm concerned about the responses in this article. I drive on the same roads every day and have never experienced an issue with other cars having very bright normal lights to the point of blinding me. Perhaps they should get their vision checked and see whether it is safe for them to drive at night. It may be that their eyes are too senstive for it to be safe.

Re: BMW's Laser Headlights

#39

Post by yongjik »

leephillips wrote: post #32
cenhyperion wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> When I feel that the oncoming vehicle's lights are too bright, they get my high beams, which stay on them, despite their frantic high beam flashing. If more people did this, perhaps these people would switch back to their OEM lights. Sounds like you're really endangering other people's lives in response to an annoyance.

Not in response to an "annoyance". I feel that they are selfishly endangering me and the other drivers on the road.

Oh so you decided to help them? How nice.

Re: BMW's Laser Headlights

#40

Post by Cairn »

spullara wrote: post #38

I'm concerned about the responses in this article. I drive on the same roads every day and have never experienced an issue with other cars having very bright normal lights to the point of blinding me. Perhaps they should get their vision checked and see whether it is safe for them to drive at night. It may be that their eyes are too senstive for it to be safe.

Well, I'm glad that you, specifically, have never had that issue. Might you have noticed the large number of complaints registered in the years since HID lights became common?
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