As above, how many different types of headlights come in our cars. i.e halogen (i believe thats only in the UK as standard), xenon, bi-xenon and AHL. and can anyone please explain how xenon, bi-xenon and AHL are different from each other. plus is there any difference between DRL and auto headlight. thanks for the help.

 

AHL - adaptive head light - can come with the xenon (aka bi-xenon).

 

So many views yet no proper answer.

 

AHL's are Bix's that turn with the car as the wheel turns. So when you're cornering to the right, the lights go to the right.

Bix is just your standard set of BiX's without the AHL potion. I believe Xeon and Bi-Xeon is the same, just two terms for it.

Then the standard Hallogen's.

Daytime runners DRL on the pre-LCI are the smaller lights on the inside of the light unit, I don't know the proper name. After that with LCI the angel eyes were used as the daytime lights.

Hope this helps.

 

If you point your headlights at a wall or any flat surface and turn your steering wheel you can actually see your headlights move in the direction that your turning. The funny thing with my car 2004 545i is that the lights only go to the right. I believe my driverside headlight was replaced with a non adaptive head light. However they are both Xenon (about 6000k HID) with white angel eyes.

 

Adding to jw-benz. Pre-lci's DRL is actually the high beam running at a reduced power.

And Xeon and Bi-Xeon. I believe the difference is that Bi's have both the high/low beam in the reflector. Essentially, the inside (towards the grill) light actually does not turn on/does nothing.

 

Also in pre-LCIs the flash to pass is a halogen even if you have bi-xenons. The xenon lens moves to high beam only when the high beam is switched on.

 

Bi-xenon is one lamp with a "door" or cover over part of it. When the 'door' is in one position you have low beam; when the 'door' is in another position the entire bulb is uncovered and you have high beam. There is only one bulb with two ('bi-") settings.
Xenons have two bulbs side by side and no 'doors' to activate.
In theory, you can have AHL (Adaptive Head Lights) with any type of bulb. The bulb is irrelevant since the "adaptive" part is simply the movement of the headlight unit on a swivel as the steering wheel is turned.
In Canada, DRL are 'on' all the time as required by law and can never be turned off (no i-drive settings). I assume 'auto headlight' is part of the headlight switch that turns the headlight system on and off depending on exterior light levels, sun angle etc as discussed elsewhere in this forum.

 

so whats auto headlights ?

 

Comes on Automatically when it gets dark. Just another setting.

I think you need to RTFM.