[X3inZug]

Hi all,
So, this past weekend, twice (once when going and once when coming back from somewhere..) I had cars going by me in the opposite direction honk for what I thought it was no reason until it hit me. They were probably blinded by my beams being on high, rather than low, or something in between.

I have been trying to drive at night always with the Automatic Headlights feature on. On dark roads and not a lot of movement is great, goes up, goes down, one side, other side, seems to work well. However, I have also noticed that when on a small road where one side goes one way and the other side the other way, they do not work well all the time, and or, something like I mentioned above happens, people honk/complains.

How can I properly test if this is working properly? I mean, its nice to leave it on all times, but, if its causing trouble for other cars, then I would go back to old style where I turn on/off on demand instead of automatically.

Suggestions, Ideas? Anyone uses it?

[Dutch1576]

I live in a "country" like area where the majority of the roads are very dark, and the automatic high beams are very useful. I use them all the time. However, even when not using I have had people shine their brights and/or honk because they believed I was shining high beams in their direction. IMO, the standard headlights alone are VERY bright compared to most cars. I'd continue using if you need to for the sake of your own safety.

[PaulE]

Are you referring to the automatic on/off setting on the headlight switch or the automatic high/low beam button on the end of the turn signal stalk? My car has both. I leave the headlight switch on the automatic setting and it is very good about switching over from daytime running lights to headlights at dusk and dawn. I also use the automatic high/low beam setting and it works very well, but is occasionally slower than I mioght be in turning off the high beam, because I can see an oncoming car's headlights around a corner. Also it will sometimes go from high beam to low beam due to street lighting. But overall, it is much more consistent than I am. I do wish there was a way to program my car so that the automatic high/low beam was always activated unless I turned it off with the button. One other peculiar thing I noticed is that we have both a X3 30i and a X3 M40i, both are 2019 models and have all the same options and packages. The X3 30i does not have the automatic high/low beam switch on the end of the turn signal stalk though, while the X3 M40i does.

[X3inZug]

Originally Posted by PaulE

the automatic high/low beam button on the end of the turn signal stalk

Talking about this.

It does work well, I was just surprised this weekend two people honking...

[MechX3M40i]

Originally Posted by X3inZug

Talking about this.

It does work well, I was just surprised this weekend two people honking...

I agree with Dutch1576 that some people might have mistaken your LED low beam as high beam, especially if you are on winding country roads that go up and down too.

My auto high beam works perfectly during my test driving in rural part of the suburb with no issue.

[MattXYZ]

M40i has Icon Adaptive LED as standard - it’s optional on other models I believe.

I’m very impressed by the way the high beam comes on automatically according to road and lighting conditions. And by the way the beam adjusts to light up around a vehicle that is in front!

The lights also light up around a corner - I think the system switches on the fog lights. Great for city driving in the dark to better seen pedestrians crossing at the junction you’re turning in to.

The lights actually move as you turn your steering wheel. You can see this better by being stationary and having your lights aimed at a wall. When you turn your steering wheel, you will see the lights angle towards the direction you steer to.

[MattXYZ]

Here’s a YouTube vid I just found showing the icon adaptive led in action

[MattXYZ]

Better technical vid (but the previous video was in a G01!)

[Ragnarkov]

Originally Posted by MechX3M40i

I agree with Dutch1576 that some people might have mistaken your LED low beam as high beam, especially if you are on winding country roads that go up and down too.

My auto high beam works perfectly during my test driving in rural part of the suburb with no issue.

I agree with this as well. I've had random people flash me and honk as they drive by, and I know for sure I'm not using high beams, cause I don't have the auto high beam feature. and I rarely (and I mean RARELY) use highbeams at all to begin with. I only ever use them on highway driving, and even then, I'm always paranoid about highbeaming on coming traffic, so I usually cut them to low super early.

[cgroves]

Originally Posted by MattXYZ

M40i has Icon Adaptive LED as standard - it’s optional on other models I believe.

I’m very impressed by the way the high beam comes on automatically according to road and lighting conditions. And by the way the beam adjusts to light up around a vehicle that is in front!

The lights also light up around a corner - I think the system switches on the fog lights. Great for city driving in the dark to better seen pedestrians crossing at the junction you’re turning in to.

The lights actually move as you turn your steering wheel. You can see this better by being stationary and having your lights aimed at a wall. When you turn your steering wheel, you will see the lights angle towards the direction you steer to.

Actually ICON adaptive is not legal in US or Canada right now. My understanding is the regulations around headlights are still stuck in the 60s so the truly adaptive functions get disabled in our markets.

[MattXYZ]

Originally Posted by cgroves

Actually ICON adaptive is not legal in US or Canada right now. My understanding is the regulations around headlights are still stuck in the 60s so the truly adaptive functions get disabled in our markets.

Wow... did not know that! Does US also not get the Audi equivalent either then?!

[cgroves]

Originally Posted by MattXYZ

Wow... did not know that! Does US also not get the Audi equivalent either then?!

The new regulations that would allow adaptive in the US were proposed by the NHTSA in Oct 2018 but I don't know when they would come in to force. I doubt it would be that quick so I would say no to the Audi equivalent.

[HoustonEaDo]

Originally Posted by cgroves

Actually ICON adaptive is not legal in US or Canada right now. My understanding is the regulations around headlights are still stuck in the 60s so the truly adaptive functions get disabled in our markets.

A lot of people (including me) have coded the anti-dazzle lights in the US - so we have very close to the same features they get overseas....works great too !

I have not had anyone flash or honk at me since I had them coded about 6 months ago.

[cgroves]

Originally Posted by HoustonEaDo

A lot of people (including me) have coded the anti-dazzle lights in the US - so we have very close to the same features they get overseas....works great too !

I have not had anyone flash or honk at me since I had them coded about 6 months ago.

They were probably trying to figure out what was wrong with your car since the headlights looked funny

Yeah, it is amazing the rules are that far behind despite being lobbied by the manufacturers for quite a few years now. The segmented headlight systems are stunningly good and the ICON adaptive is way better than anything we have now.

[HoustonEaDo]

Originally Posted by cgroves

They were probably trying to figure out what was wrong with your car since the headlights looked funny

Yeah, it is amazing the rules are that far behind despite being lobbied by the manufacturers for quite a few years now. The segmented headlight systems are stunningly good and the ICON adaptive is way better than anything we have now.

I want to have someone else drive my car and then ride in a different vehicle so I can see what they look like to other drivers - they definitely move around a lot - especially when they "see" a road sign...pretty amazing

[Lux700]

There’s a difference between ‘High Beam Assist’ and ‘Adaptive’. I use my adaptive most of the time and have never had anyone flash me yet.

[darrylo]

The automatic high beams are iffy for me. It seems to work decently if you're on a road where the two directions are separated by a painted line. It's iffy and can blind drivers if you're on a road with a wide median (say, 10+feet/3+meters). The separated directions seem to confuse the auto high beams occasionally. It's even worse if the road has a slight curve to it.

[SROC3]

I live in LA and I drive mostly in the city streets....once in a while go out of town. Had the Adaptive EURO lights on my M4. They worked amazing, but RARELY ever used it. I didn't opt for the Adaptive LEDs on my X3. Don't regret it at all. Light-Cast is perfect. Fog lights are awesome too on our cars.

[titomi]

I mainly use adaptive low beams. When I user the AHB (automatic high beams) I've got nor honk/flash from other drivers. Needles to say, that AHB are using selective beam, so if no car in front of you but one in opposite direction, the high beam stays on on your direction of travel.
Once a X3 was opposite to me, it wasn't dark but it was late, and the lights were quite bright from my view. People are not used to this, like there were not used to halogens when they were introduced. Also the higher position of the lights in opposite of a sedan/hatchback/wagon can cause others to be little dazzled by them.

[PerryGunn]

Originally Posted by PaulE

I do wish there was a way to program my car so that the automatic high/low beam was always activated unless I turned it off with the button.

I've coded our F25 X3 so that the HBA is active whenever the headlghts are on (headlight switch has to be in the 'A' position) but can be turned off with the stalk button.

As it can be done on the F25, I'd be very surprised if it can't be done on the G01

Mine is a UK model with ICON adaptive LEDs (anti-dazzle enabled from factory) and, according to my records, the coding changes required were:

FRM module
- 3050
-- FLA_AUTO_AKTIV -> automatisch
- 3050
-- FLA_VERBAUT -> aktiv

HU_NBT module
- 3000
-- HIGH_BEAM_ASSISTANT -> aktiv

KAFAS2 module
- 3050
-- FLA_ON_OFF -> aktiv

[X3inZug]

Originally Posted by MechX3M40i

I agree with Dutch1576 that some people might have mistaken your LED low beam as high beam, especially if you are on winding country roads that go up and down too.

I guess that is the case, as indeed are curvy roads that go up and down indeed where this happened. Thanks everyone. And yes, its pretty cool how it goes up, low, left, right, on, off by itself... I really enjoy it...

[smanji]

I absolutely love this feature, but i have found it can sometimes be a bit slow with turning off when oncoming traffic is detected!

I wish it would come on automatically without me having to enable the function via the left stalk on every trip