all mercs do this now below 20mph it is for 2 reasons:-

1. illumiates kerb area for driver

2. shows pedestrians where a vehicle is actually going.

I think the Citroen DS was the first car to go into production with them, but I could be wrong. Nice idea, but I think of limited real-world use (unless you can disconnect them from the steering).

Chris

You are correct we had one about 1967 ish, but you had to apply a lot of lock to see any difference in beam direction. Citroens in those days had some of the brightest lights on cars in production.

DS was and still is a technological marvel and great value for the money. I first drove one in 1964 a DS Safari estate - first (again) multi seat with third set in back albeit they faced sideways and folded into floor. Went all the way to Davos in Switzerland taking turns in the rearmost seats, full power steering meant any slight twitch of steering produced a massive swing at the back! Not good on Swiss passes!

So all in all a brilliant car which has had various ideas copied by most manufacturers even Rolls & Bentley - but of course done to their exacting standards.

I still drive around in a descendant of the DS and Xantia. In fact have run Citroens since those early days.

You are correct we had one about 1967 ish, but you had to apply a lot of lock to see any difference in beam direction. Citroens in those days had some of the brightest lights on cars in production.

Good reflector design, combined with having adopted 55W QI lights when most makers were clinging to 45/40W tungsten units will do that for you.

Had a ride in my sisters new Clio with these yesterday.

They were still activating at speeds up to 40mph and with only a small turn of the steering wheel ie every bend on the road and lane change.

Pointless and fecking annoying IMO

I think the Citroen DS was the first car to go into production with them, but I could be wrong. Nice idea, but I think of limited real-world use (unless you can disconnect them from the steering).

Chris

Yep the DS had them connected to steering direction but they were done in such a way that they only moved when the steering went a significant angle off straight.

New shape passat has this feature, it actually has extra lights built in with lower indicators for vehicles with this fitted

well.. I'm quite happy with the ones on my Fabia. The headlights turn to follow the wheel, eliminating or at least reducing the need to come to almost a complete stop every other minute when night driving in the twisty roads outside the town where I live.

Also, the cornering fog lights are actually very useful. They only come on up to 40 kph, and for parking and driving in poorly lit streets at night they're a bless. I know I'd miss them if I had to drive another car now. I've also wondered about the legal status of those things (I live in Sweden), but frankly I don't really care. I also ride my motorcycle with full beam in daylight, for safety reasons. I'd take the fine if they gave me one, crediting it to the safety account.

I saw a new Fiat Bravo with its fogs doing this in slow traffic the other day, i was wondering what the hell was going on now i know!

Yes the new Bravo does have the cornering and they're as useless as they look... unless of course you drive with your head out of the window when going around corners...

Not illegal, they are type approved. I know, I have one. Had this discussion when pulled over by a policeman just before christmas for a random lighting and tyre check. As I pulled over my nearside fog came on and when I turned the wheels so he could look at the tyres, he noticed it too. He was going to go down the route of them being defective. I told him it would need to be covered under construction and use and/or lighting regs but seeing as the car is type approved for use in Europe that he'd probably end up fighting the car manufacturers. We did have a laugh about it

I don't thing they are that useful really, and don't do it at over 45kmh. They do it even if the wheels are straight but you put on an indicator.

the lights which follow the turn of the steering wheel is a brilliant invention! i had it on a citroen c4 with xenons and its soo much better when going round a corner which has no light or poorly lt. the difference is amazing! i certinaly would get it fitted if i had the option again!

the cornering fog lights on the roo is also pretty good, lights the corner up and helps you stop hitting unseen items. but if they were on at any kind of speed thats just odd!