Posted on 06/03/2013 1:05:30 PM PDT by rickmichaels
Innovative adaptive LED headlights from BMW
Man, do I need these headlights!.
(It occurs to me that the cars of today are going to be damned hard to collect and put in to fully functional condition 40 years from now.)
I want. BTT.
Awesome. My truck dims the high beams as a car approaches, but this makes that technology look like candle illumination. Been thinking about a Beemer for the wife and I now she’s retired, this may hasten the purchase.
Another gadget that will break and be expensive to fix.
Not really new. Mercedes has been using this technology for quite some time. The E and S series offer the option.
A lot of the high tech crap they put on high-end cars is just advanced R&D, but this really makes sense. Gawd do I hate hate hate those blue/purple/pink halogen burners that they’re putting on all the ghetto hoopties ;-) And there’s nothing really new here, cellphones have made camera techology dirt cheap, add some software and motors and voila...no more glaring burners.
Are these headlights legal in the US?
The only way to own a BMW is under warranty.
For those of us that have to have “something” in an LED now, check out this stuff, and note the size and wattage: http://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/off-road-lights/
I’m putting one of them on my Scion FR-S for my 122 mile round trip daily commute on back roads. Not active, but leagues ahead of hella, etc.
How many cars have HID headlights now?
The only way to own a BMW is under warranty.
You’re relying on a computer to process camera info and make adjustments ,,, how many times has your personal computer slowed down for an unknown reason?
From a practical standpoint I have seen LED light clusters fail on a regular basis ,, this is a headlight ,, it is LIKELY that the circuit board the LED’s are mounted to will absorb moisture and will corrode/fail ,, I drive a Mercedes and it’s a great car but lets face it German cars have electronics that are far less reliable than US or Asian cars, it’s not something they do well... also I wouldn’t want to use the system until AT LEAST a few years after my state creates an exemption in the laws about dimming headlights ...
P.S. BMW is attempting (as are other European manufacturers) to make their cars 100% recyclable ,,, this will make getting junkyard/cheap parts damn near impossible if this is to be a long term car.. and the materials they are choosing to make the cars more recycle friendly have caused problems in the recent past ... namely failing flaking electrical wiring insulation.
Are these headlights legal in the US?
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MY BIGGEST CONCERN ,, Legal ? YES ,,, but will officer Billy Bob write you a ticket for not dimming your lights when you approach his patrol car from behind? You Betcha! And don’t even try to fight it.
bkmk
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