Are the new headlights able to switch between left and right hand dipping  ?

Anyone have a link to driver's manual ?

Regards

6 hours ago, Llwyngwernog said:

Are the new headlights able to switch between left and right hand dipping  ?

Anyone have a link to driver's manual ?

Regards

You don't have need for left/right dipping these days as there is no "kick up on the lights as they used to.

So with the matrix lights if cuts out the light that could dazzle someone as needed

It's quite interesting to see how the beams change when driving you can see the beams moving.

 

They're brilliant.

Many thanks for the info

On 05/10/2024 at 15:20, RADIOTWO said:

You don't have need for left/right dipping these days as there is no "kick up on the lights as they used to.

So with the matrix lights if cuts out the light that could dazzle someone as needed

 

Is this really the case, i.e. have you actually checked it? Because it seems the dealers are dead set on convincing everyone that a z-beam is a flat beam, despite z-beam being far, far worse to drive at night outside the UK.

 

I really would like a picture of the headlight beam shone against a wall about 5m-10 from the car, if someone could post it.

 

I am pretty sure all VW/Skodas till at least 2018 came with Z-beam, meaning there is a kick-up on the kerb side, just a limited 2deg kick up.

And when going abroad, you need to either turn the headlights 2deg down or if you have AFS etc, they turn right and dip down.

 

The end result is a very well illuminated kerb side hedge about 20m-50m in front, but poor road lighting otherwise when compared with the very same headlights used in the UK.

 

The last cars I know of that had true flat beam setting for Europe (no kick up of any kind, but no need to dip down either), were projector headlight Mk1 / MK2 cars, Superb, Fabia / Roomster and Octavia all had true flat beam so long as the headlamp was a projector unit and not a reflector. All these were very good in Europe, but non-hid versions could do with light intensity upgrade.

 

 

Edited 10 October, 20241 yr by dieselV6

2 hours ago, dieselV6 said:

 

Is this really the case, i.e. have you actually checked it? Because it seems the dealers are dead set on convincing everyone that a z-beam is a flat beam, despite z-beam being far, far worse to drive at night outside the UK.

 

I really would like a picture of the headlight beam shone against a wall about 5m-10 from the car, if someone could post it.

 

I am pretty sure all VW/Skodas till at least 2018 came with Z-beam, meaning there is a kick-up on the kerb side, just a limited 2deg kick up.

And when going abroad, you need to either turn the headlights 2deg down or if you have AFS etc, they turn right and dip down.

 

The end result is a very well illuminated kerb side hedge about 20m-50m in front, but poor road lighting otherwise when compared with the very same headlights used in the UK.

 

The last cars I know of that had true flat beam setting for Europe (no kick up of any kind, but no need to dip down either), were projector headlight Mk1 / MK2 cars, Superb, Fabia / Roomster and Octavia all had true flat beam so long as the headlamp was a projector unit and not a reflector. All these were very good in Europe, but non-hid versions could do with light intensity upgrade.

 

 

First I have never heard of Z-beams.

But have you got the Matrix lights ?

Z-beam is beam that when you project it on the wall 5-10m away from the car has 2 flat sections per headlamp, a raised section for the kerbside illumination and a main section for the road. So there is still a kick-up, but it is limited. 

 

This is currently dominant beam shape for most cars in UK / Europe, UK one is in the picture on the right..

 

 

Flat beam only has a single flat section from left to right, much like a foglight, but the beam is narrower than foglight and more intense.

Mk1 Octavia/Mk1 Superb/Mk1 Roomster had Z-beam headlamps that you can switch to flat beam by flipping a switch inside headlight. Crucially, the hotspot remains in the centre so road lighting is very good even on the "Euro" setting.

 

Example of flat beam on an American car, no kickup, just a single flat cutoff, but notice hotspots in the centre:

 

 

Many/most "adaptive" headlamps for cars sold in the UK only produce Z-beam, for Europe dip the Z-beam down and move it to the right on UK cars, resulting in hotspot in the roadside hedge and far worse performance abroad, no matter how good the lights are otherwise.

I have Octavia 3 vRs with AFS HIDs and it does "Europe setting" just like most LEDs in the manner described above.

Even with uprated HID inserts, compared to Mk1 Superb flat beam, the road lighting when travelling in Europe is average to poor. It was excellent with Mk1 Superb flat beam. In the UK, the very same Mk3 vRS AFS HID lamps are otherwise excellent...

 

I do not have matrix headlights, and that is exactly why I ask if anyone could project the lights on the wall when on Euro setting and post a photo.  After the mk3 AFS HID fiasco, I probably won't buy another car unless it has flat beam capability or full LHD/RHD beam switch. Unfortunately, what seems to be going on both in the UK and in Europe is selling headlamps that work for one market only, for certification / profit / can't be bothered / (insert your own reason) reasons...

 

Edited 10 October, 20241 yr by dieselV6