Headlight's too bright

PaulieC

I thought this was just me getting older and crankier. Teslas are by far the worst offenders, absolutely blinding at most angles.

kirving

Since 2019, 7.6% of all vehicles fail the NCT for "Light Test"

I strongly suspect there is some issue with thee data, given they've added "Tesla Other", but 22% of Tesla fail for "Light Test".

zell12

https://twitter.com/RTERadio1/status/1747232707543695589?s=20

..

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121627071#Comment_121627071

Jesus thats incredibly **** stats for vehicles that are 4 to 5 years old. Really poor. Be interesting to know the details of the fail type and does it flow into other marques with similar type lighting systems.

Hurrache

LEDs themselves are not the problem, it's the system they're use with. They can be pretty poor alright when static, but when they're used by those automatic/self levelling systems with adjust the beam depending on the ambient lighting and road traffic they work great.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121627821#Comment_121627821

True but they are also a problem. The bulk of manufacturers aren't taking into account adjusting default settings to take account of LED distance throw. The settings appear to be in most case set to how a typical halogen distance throw disappates . So they are therefore angled too high .

Chris_5339762

Auto dips are fantastic for the person driving, but they arent great for other drivers. Especially if you're going around corners the tech just isn't up to it - it just doesn't dip.

Hurrache

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121627885#Comment_121627885

Dunno, I imagine some (most?) do because their systems aren't offered with anything other than LEDs so wouldn't have been designed or configured with halogen as a base.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121627955#Comment_121627955

You'd think so yet they are still blinding oncoming drivers which would solely indicate default settings are above what should be acceptable. In this scenarios it's worse as they don't have the excuse of halogen in their lineup at all. Just really poor design and testing.

Whocare

Led Matrix lights that are on Audi ect are illegal in USA and rightfully so .only yesterday I blinded by audi with those type of headlights

Sierra Oscar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121628331#Comment_121628331

Are they? Fairly certain they've been allowed since early 2022.

They weren't specifically banned either, the regulations hadn't caught up with the new technology and now they seemingly have. They're set out maximum brightness requirements though.

US finally allows use of modern matrix headlights (motorauthority.com)

Whocare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121628355#Comment_121628355

Probably right. just see video about be illegal it few months back .But my point still stand there blinding and I'm on road very day truck driver ect and on way home I don't care what anyone say there blinding for distance but went I got closer you could see headlights adjusting so it wasn't as blinding but as was almost passing car it was too late in my eyes

kirving

The lighting system will be designed and provided to Tesla by a major Tier 1 supplier, using components almost certainly used in other vehicles.

Failing EU standards due to design would be a catastrophic warranty issue for the supplier, so they won't sell something that isn't compliant. (By this I mean NCT)

I firmly believe it's a choice by Tesla to aim their lights high to aid their Vision Only ADAS.

The other side of it is, it could just be poor suspension components which causes the lights to aim high (a little slop on a ride height sensor will cause a big angular error), and Tesla have also had documentated issues where they Zero'd the ride height sensors during a software update, which if done on a hill would cause an error.

I've recently moved to the US, and my 2021 car buad matrix lights which do a little show when I turn on the car, but are actually disabled when driving. I must see if I can get a dealer upgrade, as the car is under warranty and I'd be hesitant to mess with it myself.

Ryano87

I've a one year old car with adaptive led lights....

To be honest I'm not a big fan... Even when driving around on my dipped beams i keep getting flashed by other drivers...

It's very frustrating and there are no options to lower the beam on the car like cars of old.

I'm going to raise it with the dealer at the next opportunity to see if there is anything can be done

GeneHunt

This is a very interesting thread.

I agree with most of the comments above, and yes I find Tesla's, but also BMW lights the worsted, I always though BMW new LED lights were set way too high. After reading this thread, I now understand why so many cars are flashing me, but now, I realise they're not flashing me, it's there LED lights combined with hard suspensions, large wheels with small side walls and probably bumpy roads is a factor too. The bumpy roads aren't going to be fixed any time soon, if ever, but the lights could be fixed.

DaveyDave

The problem is the roads. Our roads aren't flat. They're constantly bumping up and down, dips, bumps, off camber etc. I drive unlit backroads to work and if I look at the top of my headlight beam I can see it's constantly moving up and down compared to the road in the distance.

LEDs are self leveling but can't keep up with the constant movement of the car. Very few LED headlights dazzle me, it's usually a very brief glare while the lights tilt down. I have more issues with those driving with fog lights, bulbs pointing up/towards oncoming traffic or those who modified fog lights into their headlights. LEDs are the least offensive on my commute. Although there is one Tesla SUV that is blinding, which probably isn't correctly aligned from the factory.

The only times I've been flashed are when my car is going over a bridge or bump in the road and the oncoming traffic are at a lower elevation.

Motorbikes are horrendous for being blinding, their beams are too high and often the headlights aren't secured and constantly shaky.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121644102#Comment_121644102

It's not the M11 is one of the newest roads in the country. Absolutely blinded from behind in rear view and over the central divider by these LEDs, the problem is most definitely not our roads. The complaints about this are pretty ubiquitous regardless of country.