I am still confused, following on from my earlier threads, as to what is what with the 'light assist' and 'dynamic light assist' lighting systems.

These are the two options appear in the owners manual but only light assist is available to me as a selection. The brochure refers to light assist and smart light assist just to confuse matters.

 

AFS I understand as variable light patterns. Those listed in the owners manual are:-

Out of town. City mode. Motorway mode. Rain mode. Fog mode. Dynamic cornering. Then there is travel mode and eco mode which basically turn off the AFS. This is standard on the SEL and L&K ? Or is it just some of those variables?

 

'Light assist' I think I understand as simply providing auto main beam??

 

So what is 'dynamic light assist'?? I have picked up from my previous posts that it includes the additional LED lights in the front headlamp unit but does it actually provide anything else above the AFS and light assist?

 

 

Anyone know for sure?

 

 

 

Dynamic light assist is actually cornering headlights, i.e. the lights move when you turn the wheel to point around the corner.

 

Smart light assist is the next step up which can doctor the light pattern further (as I understand it) using moving elements behind the lens of the headlight. It also has the cornering function but can keep the main beam on but dip the light pattern so it doesn't blind oncoming motorists or the car in front (main beam light spread goes around these vehicles so everything else is as if you are on mainbeam). Its a great idea however as much as I want the Smart light assist together with the Lane assist and Blind Spot detection system £950 I really cannot mark that down as good value.

 

I will probably regret it in years to come but cannot justify the expense on what might actually be a pretty crude system. So far on asking some think its ace, others are much less impressed so I will not spec it. 

 

I cannot for the life of me fathom what Light Assist is though (but coupled together with High Beam assist as it is) it may be another way to take your money for nothing more than a VCDS coding session. I want to know if specifying one or some of these options (traffic sign recognition etc) alters the quality of the camera behind the rear view mirror as better camera resolution may mean extra VCDS codings become available.

 

Hope I am somewhat correct but as I am still driving my Octavia 3 I will defer to those lucky motorists who own one with the options you are referring to!!!

Edited 16 November, 201510 yr by blahde2

Light Assist used to be the term used for 'Auto' lights, i.e. the light sensor which automatically turns on the lights when it gets dark etc.

 

Headlights have got a whole lot more complicated since my 2011 Superb was built though!

This is my understanding...

 

Light assist is auto lights and will turn dipped beams on/off when it deems necessary, this uses the rain light sensor.

 

Intelligent light assistant (high beam assist) is the auto main beam using an additional camera normally in the rear view mirror.

 

Smart/dynamic light assist looks to be moving the light around to allow the main beams to stay on without dazzling traffic. This probably needs the lane assist camera and extra technology in the headlights to allow sections to come on/off, possibly only on LED equipped cars? http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/technology/comfort-and-convenience/dynamic-light-assist

 

I'm not sure if dynamic light assist has made it to Skoda yet but the first two have

 

Quick edit:

 

Looks like smart light assistant is more closely related to dynamic than intelligent light assist: http://skoda-auto.cm/en/models/new-superb/video-safety-sla

Edited 16 November, 201510 yr by langers2k

AFS frontlight control system utilizes the possibility of changing the light beam geometry to adjust the frontal lighting to various driving conditions.

This very advanced concept is complemented by swivelling headlights, cornering lamps and dynamic headlight angle regulation. By combining all of these functions, a useful road lighting system, which significantly boosts the driving safety, was created. When the obstacles are illuminated better, the driver is able to react sooner and prevent the accident.

The AFS system is offered exclusively for the bi-xenon headlights, which provide both low and high beam. The driver has the possibility of switching the system off and using just regular low and high beams.

The AFS system ​is standard on SE L Exec and L&K.

Edited 16 November, 201510 yr by Didorx

Smart Light Assist

http://master.skoda-auto.com/models/new-superb/video-safety-sla

ŠKODA Superb - Light assistant

As a practical device, which simplifies the controlling of the car’s lighting, the Light assistant provides these functions:

- Leaving home: Turns on the lights after unlocking the vehicle for easier finding of the convenient path to the car.

- Coming home: If the light intensity outside is lower than a set level, this function provides pleasant illuminating of the path home.

- Tunnel light: While driving, this function activates headlamps if the intensity of the outside lights abruptly decreases.

- Day light: Turns the daytime running lights on after turning the ignition on.

Also integrated into the Light assistant system is the Rain lights function, which turns the lights on when the wipers are activated.

All extracted front Škoda website (+ YouTube).

Edited 16 November, 201510 yr by Didorx

Thanks for the replies. I found this on the VW site linked by Langers2k. This is the best explanation I have read and it makes perfect sense to me now.

 

"The system with variable road illumination allows the main beam to be left on continuously without dazzling oncoming traffic. This is possible thanks to a masking function which can partially dip the main-beam headlights. The information on other road users and the street lighting is captured by a camera on the interior mirror and relayed to the Dynamic Light Assist system. This significantly improves illumination of the entire carriageway."

 

So with AFS and light assist we get variable light patterns and a traditonal auto dip/main beam arrangement. With dynamic or smart assist we get the above. It makes the option prices for an L&K even more odd really. Some have been charged £250 for light assist and others £100 for smart assist. I was chargd £100 but only got light assist.

 

Hey ho, the wonders of brochure versus production standards.

 

thanks again for making it clear.

Apologies @Langers2k - did not see your post!

Edited 16 November, 201510 yr by Didorx

Same confusion. I have (specc'd and paid for) smart assist on an L&K. Believe this is also called dynamic assist in some places. Only really looked for the first time last night (after this post) on a drive home through countryside. Basic light assist fine (ie auto dimming when sensing oncoming car etc). But could not see 'dynamic' or beam shaping. Just main beam auto on/off. Not aware of any additional control than pushing stalk forward once. Nor additional dash indication other than the normal (described above on/off) light assist white headlight symbol with an 'a'.

Brocky.

 

Do you have the extra LED whisker lights in the front headlamp.

 

When you go into car set up on columbus you will see options for 'light assist' or 'dynamic light' assist.

 

I dont have either the LED or the 'dynamic light' options. That is what started my confusion. I also expected to have smart assist but didnt get it. I got light assist.

 

However, I now think that the only difference is that dynamic assist keeps the full beam on but masks certain areas as it identifies other vehicles. If you watch the video linked by Didorx at #6 you can see that when following a vehicle the main beam stays on but is masked to only illuminate the outside (offside) of the road.

 

That doesn't happen with light assist, that system simply switches back to low beam. However, all the AFS functions I noted in my O.P. should be there. One way to see it is to switch off your lights. Start the car and the switch to auto. Watch the light pattern in front of the car and you should see the light patterns change a bit as the AFS sets to the relevant pattern.

 

There are some conditions where it is overridden. Rain/fog and eco mode are I think the releavnt ones. However, see pages 71 et seq in the owners manual for details.

 

hth

 

Pete

Same confusion. I have (specc'd and paid for) smart assist on an L&K. Believe this is also called dynamic assist in some places. Only really looked for the first time last night (after this post) on a drive home through countryside. Basic light assist fine (ie auto dimming when sensing oncoming car etc). But could not see 'dynamic' or beam shaping. Just main beam auto on/off. Not aware of any additional control than pushing stalk forward once. Nor additional dash indication other than the normal (described above on/off) light assist white headlight symbol with an 'a'.

There is no additional switching or warning lights in addition to those you mention.

I've used it quite often now. Under many circumstances the lights do just switch from main to dipped, such as bends or difference in elevation between you and the position of the oncoming/leading vehicle.

I'm guessing if it detects the other vehicle is beyond the deflection range of the system then it simply reverts to dipped beam.

The change from dipped to main beam is also unusual. It doesn't switch instantly as you'd expect from a standard headlamp, instead you get about a second of the lights getting brighter, which I've likened elsewhere to turning up a dimmer switch.

Not having driven a Bi-Xenon Light Assist equipped vehicle I don't know if that's a feature of the Bi-Xenon lights or unique to the Smart/Dynamic Light Assist.

So just to clarify code PNG is the smart light assist code and includes Blind Spot Detection, Lane Assist, the extra LED lights and the additional functionality above xenon with AFS and auto main beam on/off, correct? £950 option on SEL Exec.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm picking up a dealer demo at the end of next week and this is on the spec sheet. It certainly has BSD and lane assist but I'm not sure about the other bit and I can't get to the dealer to easily check.

This image is the headlamps

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So just to clarify code PNG is the smart light assist code and includes Blind Spot Detection, Lane Assist, the extra LED lights and the additional functionality above xenon with AFS and auto main beam on/off, correct? £950 option on SEL Exec.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes agreed. But BSD/LA etc is std on L&K with £100 option for smart assist. Light assist is not shown in the brochures as available on the L&K. I have BSD/LA etc but no LED and no smart (or dynamic as Columbus refers to it). Thats the conundrum for those with L&K who thought they had ordered smart assist as the £100 option.

I am not fussed about mine as my original order was for an SEL without either. I am just puzzled as to how an L&K turns up with an option that doesnt appear in the brochure and doesn't make any sense cost wise (£250 v £100).

Initially I wanted to highlight to others that you need to check carefully what you/the dealer have ordered and what turns up.

But I dont like unsolved mysteries which is why I started the topic. I am very clear in my mind now that smart/dynamic assist uses the camera to read the road ahead and adjusts the main beam by blanking sections thus leaving more of the road ahead lit by main beam. So, opposing traffic the left hand edge is open, the right edge is blanked out. Folllowing traffic, the left hand edge is blanked thus not illuminating the car in front whilst the right hand edge can still be on full beam. Or somehting along those lines. That is all achieved, allegedly, without blinding other drivers.

AFS with light assist on the other hand has the variable patterns (which is what you really need to improve over standard lighting) but simply dips the main beam when required (i.e vehicle in front or opposing traffic).

Hi Pete et al,

 

Very helpful and thanks. In Columbus I simply have 'light assist', not 'dynamic' or 'smart'. On the lights themselves on full beam, there are no LED stripes (but the striped themselves appear to be clear perspex). Or at least the stripes don't illuminate when I turn the headlights on, low or high beam. 

 

I did a bit more research and smart/dynamic (I believe they're the same thing...correct me if not) as you say, doesn't operate in the rain. So that may be one reason it's not clear/showing, as it's been cats and dogs for the last couple of days since I started to think about this. 

 

Nor do they operate (pg75 of the manual) in 'travel mode'. Realy unhelpful as all that says 'travel mode, which you can change in the infotainment'. And BTW...doesn't every car have 'travel mode'. Isn't that the point of a car    .

 

And I don't have 'PNG' on the option sticker in the rear (if that's the right code). Good idea to do a start test though. 

 

BUT I do have a receipt for the car showing I paid for 'Smart Light Assist'. And when I looked over the car on collection, I was shown the two cigarette size aluminium boxes above the back of the headlights which I was told were the smart assist servos...

 

I've run out of time for not...off on a business trip, but I'll return to it in December and investigate further.  Probably see the garage and a call to Skoda. 

 

And again, thanks. 

Nor do they operate (pg75 of the manual) in 'travel mode'. Realy unhelpful as all that says 'travel mode, which you can change in the infotainment'. And BTW...doesn't every car have 'travel mode'. Isn't that the point of a car

The Smart Light Assist functions as normal Light Assist in Travel Mode, so it switches between high and dipped rather than adjusting/masking the high beam.

Travel Mode in the manual is a misnomer as that's what it was called in the Superb II.

In the Superb III it's the driving on the left/right option in the infotainment Lights menu. Selecting driving on the right in a RHD car flattens the normally raised nearside portion of the beam.

It only works with Bi-Xenons and removes the need for masking when travelling abroad.

In the Superb III it's the driving on the left/right option in the infotainment Lights menu. Selecting driving on the right in a RHD car flattens the normally raised nearside portion of the beam.

It only works with Bi-Xenons and removes the need for masking when travelling abroad.

If you have factory Navigation the car should switch / adjust the lights by itself as the GPS & Nav can tell it's s in Europe.

It might be worth asking the dealer to check that they have correctly deactivated all of the delivery mode settings as they do often miss one or to. I once left the stealers in my a new motor without windscreen wipers or climate control and only noticed 15 mile away when it started to rain. It was a fun drive back in the rain, not!

20min later dealer had corrected everything and apologised. Worth asking them to check though.

Edited 17 November, 201510 yr by blahde2

I'm picking up a dealer demo at the end of next week and this is on the spec sheet. It certainly has BSD and lane assist but I'm not sure about the other bit and I can't get to the dealer to easily check.

The photos don't answer it. The only way to tell is with the actual car.

Switch the lights to the sidelights position with ignition on. If the seven strips illuminate then it's almost certainly got Smart Light Assist. If just the DRL strips illuminate, then probably Light Assist.

It seems a lot of press and showroom demo cars were built before the UK market spec was ratified, resulting in a mish-mash of specs at different model levels that don't always correspond with what Škoda UK eventually decided can actually be ordered.

The photos don't answer it. The only way to tell is with the actual car.

Switch the lights to the sidelights position with ignition on. If the seven strips illuminate then it's almost certainly got Smart Light Assist. If just the DRL strips illuminate, then probably Light Assist.

It seems a lot of press and showroom demo cars were built before the UK market spec was ratified, resulting in a mish-mash of specs at different model levels that don't always correspond with what Škoda UK eventually decided can actually be ordered.

Or he was lucky / unlucky enough to get a cancellation car which almost met his spec or bettered it in someway which the dealer took a hit on. SE L to L&K is some upgrade. It happens.

Edited 17 November, 201510 yr by blahde2

It was the original demo registered on 1 Sept (hence why I'm collecting it 3 months after registration) received by the dealer at launch so I'm slightly concerned that it's that mish mash you refer to! This is what's listed in the system. It's got all of the other SE L bits though and everything else on options matches up.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you have factory Navigation the car should switch / adjust the lights by itself as the GPS & Nav can tell it's s in Europe.

It might be worth asking the dealer to check that they have correctly deactivated all of the delivery mode settings...

The jury is still out on this idea of navigation switching lights. My Superb II had Bi-Xenons and Columbus and that certainly didn't auto-switch.

There's no mention of this in either the vehicle or infotainment manual.

The AFS system, however, receives information from the navigation to help determine the type of road - motorway or other.

 

Switching the Bi-Xenon lights has nothing to do with delivery mode and functions the same as the Bi-Xenons on my dearly departed Superb II.

The only difference between the two is the option has now moved from the maxidot, where it was an on/off setting, to the infotainment where it's a right/left setting.

Superb III and mib2 Columbus manuals...

Edited 17 November, 201510 yr by BillyJim

Used smart light assist last night, you need to be going at least 40mph and it does not work if any street lights are on (dual carriageway etc.), worked well and never got flashed by oncoming vehicles, you could see the beam lowering as the car approached.

 

One thing that I have noticed is that high beam is not instant like normal cars, (takes about half a second) and you can see the beam going up from low to high.

I've been turning off lane assist on all single carriageway A roads and smaller, and turning off light assist on any roads where I'm needing to see into the hedgerows ALL THE TIME. This is particularly important as there's a high risk of coming across deer crossing the roads near me. 

 

I find the Smart Light Assist isn't fast enough to illuminate the depth and breadth of the road ahead in those circumstances. It's also a pain to flip hi / low when it's turned on.

 

I turn off the lane assist because the system is constantly putting slight pressure on the steering on almost all single carriage A roads and below.