Auto Head Light Sensitivity
09-27-2005 | 03:40 AM
#1
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From: in a Land Rover
My Ride: GONE BUT NOT FOGOTTEN : 530d SE Auto : Titanium Grey / Anthracite Leather, Poplar Trim, 18in 123 Style Alloys, Adaptive Bi-Xenons, Business Nav, Hi-Fi Speaker Package, Heated seats, Split-Fold Rear Seats
LR DISCO 3 HSE with everything (including 3 kids)
I have noticed some odd behaviour recently with the automatic head lights.
Depending on the light conditions when I start the car (& the lights are in Auto mode) then I appear to get different behaviour from the automatic light sensor.
There is a particular stretch of road as I return home that has many dense trees and If I drive down it in the early evening on a bright day then this nearly always fools my car into turning the headlights on-off about 3 times in the space of about 200m.
I know the sensor on our cars can be fooled by this type of lighting conditions but I have also notice something peculiar....
If, when I start the car, I am in daylight then the headlights seem more sensitive to light and switch on-and-off as I pass through deep shadows.
HOWEVER... If, when I start the car, I am in the dark (i.e. in the underground carpark at work) then the headlights seem to stay on for my entire journey home.
It is as-if the starting conditions somehow controls the sensitivity of the lights. Has anyone else observed this or am I just going nuts ?
Depending on the light conditions when I start the car (& the lights are in Auto mode) then I appear to get different behaviour from the automatic light sensor.
There is a particular stretch of road as I return home that has many dense trees and If I drive down it in the early evening on a bright day then this nearly always fools my car into turning the headlights on-off about 3 times in the space of about 200m.
I know the sensor on our cars can be fooled by this type of lighting conditions but I have also notice something peculiar....
If, when I start the car, I am in daylight then the headlights seem more sensitive to light and switch on-and-off as I pass through deep shadows.
HOWEVER... If, when I start the car, I am in the dark (i.e. in the underground carpark at work) then the headlights seem to stay on for my entire journey home.
It is as-if the starting conditions somehow controls the sensitivity of the lights. Has anyone else observed this or am I just going nuts ?
09-27-2005 | 03:48 AM
#2
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Nottingham (UK)
No, you're right. The auto headlights have some built in hysteresis which stops them from turning on and off too much. So if the ambient light is low enough they will come on and stay on, even though there may be the same fluctuations in light levels on your journey.
By the way, get ready for more false switch ons - when the the sun is starting to get lower in the horizon e.g. winter months, the sensor copes poorly and switches on the lights unneccesarily.
By the way, get ready for more false switch ons - when the the sun is starting to get lower in the horizon e.g. winter months, the sensor copes poorly and switches on the lights unneccesarily.
09-27-2005 | 03:51 AM
#3
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I would LOVE to make auto just stay on all the time. Driving with the lights on keeps drivers in front of you more alert and if you are like me, you are in the passing lane all the time and they see you coming and move out of the way.
Right now I am manually switching the lights on and off every day. Anyone know how to force the lights on all the time?
Right now I am manually switching the lights on and off every day. Anyone know how to force the lights on all the time?
09-27-2005 | 03:59 AM
#4
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From: in a Land Rover
My Ride: GONE BUT NOT FOGOTTEN : 530d SE Auto : Titanium Grey / Anthracite Leather, Poplar Trim, 18in 123 Style Alloys, Adaptive Bi-Xenons, Business Nav, Hi-Fi Speaker Package, Heated seats, Split-Fold Rear Seats
LR DISCO 3 HSE with everything (including 3 kids)
Originally Posted by browellm' date='Sep 27 2005, 11:48 AM
By the way, get ready for more false switch ons - when the the sun is starting to get lower in the horizon e.g. winter months, the sensor copes poorly and switches on the lights unneccesarily.
[snapback]175669[/snapback]
09-27-2005 | 04:07 AM
#5
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From: Uk
My Ride: 525, Dec 2003, Silver Grey, Black Dakota Leather, Bluetooth, Satnav, 18'' Runflats, Sunroof, Folding mirrors, Automatic
When my Idrive was updated to 17 ( then to 19 this week to make amber LED lights work again ! ) I gained an option, daytime running lights, in the light
settings screen. If selected the lights are on whenever the car is in use.
settings screen. If selected the lights are on whenever the car is in use.
09-27-2005 | 04:08 AM
#6
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From: Uk
My Ride: 525, Dec 2003, Silver Grey, Black Dakota Leather, Bluetooth, Satnav, 18'' Runflats, Sunroof, Folding mirrors, Automatic
Originally Posted by montrealm3' date='Sep 27 2005, 06:51 AM
I would LOVE to make auto just stay on all the time.? Driving with the lights on keeps drivers in front of you more alert and if you are like me, you are in the passing lane all the time and they see you coming and move out of the way.
Right now I am manually switching the lights on and off every day.? Anyone know how to force the lights on all the time?
Right now I am manually switching the lights on and off every day.? Anyone know how to force the lights on all the time?
[snapback]175672[/snapback]
settings screen. If selected the lights are on whenever the car is in use.
09-27-2005 | 04:24 AM
#7
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 969
Likes: 1
From: Madison, WI, USA
My Ride: 2021 F93 M8 Competition
Originally Posted by montrealm3' date='Sep 27 2005, 06:51 AM
I would LOVE to make auto just stay on all the time.? Driving with the lights on keeps drivers in front of you more alert and if you are like me, you are in the passing lane all the time and they see you coming and move out of the way.
Right now I am manually switching the lights on and off every day.? Anyone know how to force the lights on all the time?
Right now I am manually switching the lights on and off every day.? Anyone know how to force the lights on all the time?
[snapback]175672[/snapback]
Originally Posted by BMWJIMT' date='Sep 27 2005, 06:08 AM
When my Idrive was updated to 17 ( then to 19 this week to make amber LED lights work again ! ) I gained an option, daytime running lights, in the light
settings screen. If selected the lights are on whenever the car is in use.
settings screen. If selected the lights are on whenever the car is in use.
[snapback]175680[/snapback]
Just to clarify, though, these are the inner halogen lamps, not the outer lamps (which are xenon on vehicles equipped with xenon headlamps).
09-27-2005 | 04:31 AM
#8
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From: Essex, UK
Originally Posted by marty530d' date='Sep 27 2005, 11:40 AM
I have noticed some odd behaviour recently with the automatic head lights.
The 'tunnel' problem was apparently fixed.
09-27-2005 | 04:32 AM
#9
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From: Essex, UK
Originally Posted by das' date='Sep 27 2005, 12:24 PM
This is great news: can anyone else with CIP 19.x confirm that you can now control Daylight Running Lamps yourself from iDrive?
09-27-2005 | 05:27 AM
#10
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,458
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From: Bucharest, Romania
Originally Posted by marty530d' date='Sep 27 2005, 06:40 AM
I have noticed some odd behaviour recently with the automatic head lights.
Depending on the light conditions when I start the car (& the lights are in Auto mode) then I appear to get different behaviour from the automatic light sensor.
There is a particular stretch of road as I return home that has many dense trees and If I drive down it in the early evening on a bright day then this nearly always fools my car into turning the headlights on-off about 3 times in the space of about 200m.
I know the sensor on our cars can be fooled by this type of lighting conditions but I have also notice something peculiar....
If, when I start the car, I am in daylight then the headlights seem more sensitive to light and switch on-and-off as I pass through deep shadows.
HOWEVER... If, when I start the car, I am in the dark (i.e. in the underground carpark at work) then the headlights seem to stay on for my entire journey home.
It is as-if the starting conditions somehow controls the sensitivity of the lights. Has anyone else observed this or am I just going nuts ?
Depending on the light conditions when I start the car (& the lights are in Auto mode) then I appear to get different behaviour from the automatic light sensor.
There is a particular stretch of road as I return home that has many dense trees and If I drive down it in the early evening on a bright day then this nearly always fools my car into turning the headlights on-off about 3 times in the space of about 200m.
I know the sensor on our cars can be fooled by this type of lighting conditions but I have also notice something peculiar....
If, when I start the car, I am in daylight then the headlights seem more sensitive to light and switch on-and-off as I pass through deep shadows.
HOWEVER... If, when I start the car, I am in the dark (i.e. in the underground carpark at work) then the headlights seem to stay on for my entire journey home.
It is as-if the starting conditions somehow controls the sensitivity of the lights. Has anyone else observed this or am I just going nuts ?
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