The company I work for is very safety conscious and encourages the sharing of safety issues. I therefore received the following e-mail today regarding an experience of using Automatic headlights which I thought might be of interest to members :

There's been a lot of info recently about driving safely now that the clocks have gone back and winter approaches, and here's a real incident that may be relevant to all of you, and certainly to hire car users (particularly Vauxhall and VW hire car drivers).

My sister was recently driving with the 'Auto' setting on her headlights. The light conditions were fairly good, but as she approached a junction in a tree-lined street, the sensor determined that the light levels were low enough to turn the headlights on.

Unfortunately, a driver emerging from the junction interpreted this as a headlight flash to give way, and he pulled out. Thanks to a good ABS system, a collision was avoided (by about a metre), but the incident does highlight an important issue.

'Auto' setting on headlights is a safety system so that one doesn't forget to turn lights on when it gets dark, but this was a perverse outcome that had never occurred to me. Although flashing headlights says no more than "I am here and I am a potential hazard" it is often interpreted to mean "You have the right of way". My sister would not have been at fault in the eyes of an insurance company, but that would mean little if an injury had occurred to her or the other driver.

I now think about either disabling the 'Auto' setting, or making sure that it's only engaged when I start a journey in darkness, or alternatively very good light conditions. If I'm thinking that way though, it's probably just as easy to revert to the normal way of operating headlights.

It's not clear whether the headlights 'flashed' as such or whether the other driver merely wrongly interpreted them just switching on as a signal.

I have a FL 1.4 TSI Elegance but I don't have Automatic Headlights enabled, I understand that the bulbs are fitted in the front foglights and can be enabled by a dealer. However the lights switch doesn't have an 'Auto' setting as illustrated in the handbook (the switch does have a couple of settings at approx the 9 o'clock postion but there doesn't seem to be any way of turning it to these and I could not see any information in the handbook regarding them).

Edited 3 November, 200916 yr by jzc008

I had the same thing happen in our MK5 Golf, they came on automatically then went off again about a second later! this just confirmed my dislike of them.

SWMBO was also in the car (she used to leave the lights in the auto position) and was quite concerned also, fortunately for us we were 'only' overtaking another car at the time and not approaching a busy junction.

Surely if you don't know when to turn your lights on or off you should not be holding a driving licence?

Edited 17 November, 200916 yr by Gizmo68

I had the same thing happen in our MK5 Golf, they came on automatically then went off again about a second later!...

As I don't have them myself I didn't realise they could switch on and off momentarily like that. This seems to me to be a flaw in their design as I'm sure that they could be made to turn on for a minimum period to avoid being misintepreted as a flash or maybe a flash in other countries is intepreted differently. Although most people over here intepret a flash of the headlights as an indication of giving way I think the highway code says it's to warn of your presence.

I didn't realise they could switch on and off momentarily like that. This seems to me to be a flaw in their design as I'm sure that they could be made to turn on for a minimum period to avoid being misintepreted as a flash

This is exactly what i thought would of happened, i (wrongly) assumed they would be on for say at least 30 seconds before turning off again.

It may be able to be adjusted with VCDS? but for me i would rather turn them on and off manually.

Whilst any functions on a car that have been automated are often useful there are some things that you still prefer to have manual control.

This has never happened with mine, they come on for at least 10 seconds, and the article doesn't actually say the lights were flashed on and off. By the same token I was driving along a bumpy road with my lights on and someone pulled out on me once, as the pitching of the car must have appeared like I was flashing them. This is just bad driving, not the fault of the feature.

The error was the person pulling out, not your lights!

110: Flashing headlights. Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users.

VAG lights stay on for a min period of 5-10 secs.

The helpful person doesnt mention which car. Prob from similar people to the various other alarmist/useless emails people keep sending me.

VAG lights stay on for a min period of 5-10 secs.

Not on our Golf they didn't. :confused:

Not on our Golf they didn't. :confused:

Sounds like they need fixing then

I have a 09 vRS and I'm wondering is there a way to turn on the parks every time I start the car?

If you've got the option on MaxiDot enable Daylight Running Lights...

I have an automatic light system retrofitted to my car.

I can adjust the time that they stay on after turning them off manually or locking the car but there is a set delay of about 30 seconds from them coming on then going off again automatically. say, for instance, going through a tunnel. When I come out the other side they stay on for a further 25-30 seconds after it becomes light again.

I have thought about this before if they did happen to come on what would that car waiting to pull out do?!

I think the key is to expect the car to pull out anyway regardless of having auto lights that may mislead them and to be travelling at a speed that matches the conditions and to be able to stop in time for any potential hazard.

Phil

you can also adjust sensitivity of rain/light sensor...

check here:

VW Golf (1K) Rain/Light Sensor - Ross-Tech Wiki

maybe a flash in other countries is intepreted differently. Although most people over here intepret a flash of the headlights as an indication of giving way I think the highway code says it's to warn of your presence.

Here in Australia headlight flashing can be interpreted several different ways, depending on context:

Most common is two or three quick flashes "Warning ! Radar (speed) trap or road hazard ahead".

A single flash can be "I hope you have seen me and do intend to give way to me like you should" (ie the exact opposite of the UK meaning), or "Hello, you have the same car as me, isn't that nice ", or "You are overtaking a bit too close for my comfort, I hope you make it back onto your side of the road before I get there !"

Multiple flashes can be either "Something is seriously wrong with your vehicle/load/trailer. Pull over and check it", or "I've totally lost the plot and am having a serious attack of road rage directed at you, so watch out !!!!!! "

So, if you ever drive in Oz, do not assume that the person giving you a single flash of their headlights is telling you it is OK to pull out in front of them - it may be the last mistake you ever make :(

If you've got the option on MaxiDot enable Daylight Running Lights...

I didn't but now I do.

The daytime running lights on my Elegance, in spite of the bulbs in the foglamp units, were not originally activated. They are now via the dealer's VCDS and I had several options. Fronts only either in the Maxidot or not, with or without rear lights or by using dipped headlights set up as DRLs. (not sure how that worked as opposed to just turning on low beam) I took the first option and the ability to control them now appears in my Maxidot menu. When in the on position the fog integrated DRLs illuminate as soon as the ignition is switched on and extinguish if the side, low or high beam lights are turned on.

As far as I know, on UK cars, only the F/L vRS comes from the factory with the DRLs activated.

Why, what's the logic behind that Mr Skoda :confused:

Sounds like they need fixing then

My 05 mk5 golf did exactly the same!

I live in an area that has lots of intermittent tree cover. The auto lights used to get so confused that I think people in front of me got the impression I had a real road rage problem

Hope the new FL DRLs aren't as bad.

Now the dark nights are drawing in I have noticed another disadvantage to DRL's (Daytime Running Lights) as opposed to Auto headlights.

Mainly on the latest Golf and Fiat 500 their DRL's are quite bright.

Several times now in poor visibility I have approached cars infront of me from behind who appear to be driving with no lights on. Its only until I manage to get past these "tools" that I realise they are likely seeing their DRL's reflecting on the car infront or road signs which makes them think they have their ordinary dipped headlights on.

Completey unaware they have no rear lights on its going to end in tears sooner or later, mainly for the poor sod who runs in to the back of them.

Now the dark nights are drawing in I have noticed another disadvantage to DRL's (Daytime Running Lights) as opposed to Auto headlights.

Mainly on the latest Golf and Fiat 500 their DRL's are quite bright.

Several times now in poor visibility I have approached cars infront of me from behind who appear to be driving with no lights on. Its only until I manage to get past these "tools" that I realise they are likely seeing their DRL's reflecting on the car infront or road signs which makes them think they have their ordinary dipped headlights on.

Completey unaware they have no rear lights on its going to end in tears sooner or later, mainly for the poor sod who runs in to the back of them.

Also, a lot of cars now have the dashpod light up continuously (ready for an EU directive IIRC).

In well lit area's, I'm always forgetting to turn the lights on (works Mk4 mondeo) when I started the journey in daylight because the dash is already lit! And the dealer cant disable it either :(

im actually looking at turning off the DRL on my car as imho its probably more of a danger as drivers stare at you as they approch and drift onto your side of the road.