LED vs. Xenon

[F9T]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Which function(s) are you referring to?

Where the lights point around turns.

[LSM]

Originally Posted by Powaup

Saw an M6 today on the freeway and boy... The LEDs really stood out in the day time. Think of it this way: The main thing people see about your car at night is your headlights ,why not get the best looking ones! and how often do you see a car with full LED headlights?

Lighting package is now a must for me. Rather pass on the 19s and stick with the LED headlights

The daytime running lights are the same whether going xenon or LED. My M6 has LED lights and have seen one without, the corona are LED on both just the night lights (xenon vs LED) are different. Not worth cost if its 1900 on M3/M4 imo

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by infantrytroop22

Where the lights point around turns.

That function is alive and well. I think all xenon equipped cars have that function.

[jjm1970]

Originally Posted by mdss6

These automatic high beams absolutely do not increase "comfort" and "safety" for other driver's on the road. More and more BMWs and Mercedes are appearing with this function on the roads in NorthWest Europe, and they are easy to spot. The cutoff in the high intensity light and glare for someone having to see these lights either head-on, or in the rear view mirror, is not nearly so binary as the BMW propaganda video claims. They are very annoying indeed.

The driver of such a car will see a lot more, as the video indicates automatic high beams spray a lot of lumens around. But expect to have a lot of other drivers flashing high beams back.

Cheers

This ^^

[RealStig]

I'm not sure how these automatic beams would even work in the US highways. I hardly drive in one lane roads where this would be useful and in the highways, wouldn't it blind people coming from the opposite direction when you are following someone closely? Or does it even work?

I agree with a lot of people, $1,900 is not really worth this, especially when we are paying MSRP pricing and terrible residuals. Maybe past LCI when things settle down, the cost of adding these options won't hurt as much.

[Powaup]

Originally Posted by LSM

The daytime running lights are the same whether going xenon or LED. My M6 has LED lights and have seen one without, the corona are LED on both just the night lights (xenon vs LED) are different. Not worth cost if its 1900 on M3/M4 imo

Would you say HK is more of a must have than LED lights? I'd like to hear your opinion. I read that you can get the led lights after market for 300... So I'm kind of indecisive now

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by Powaup

Would you say HK is more of a must have than LED lights? I'd like to hear your opinion. I read that you can get the led lights after market for 300... So I'm kind of indecisive now

You can get DRL LEDs for $300 (have them in my E92 now), but now way to retrofit the headlights. I'd say for most people the Xenons are just fine, but I'm definitely getting the LEDs.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

You can get DRL LEDs for $300 (have them in my E92 now), but now way to retrofit the headlights. I'd say for most people the Xenons are just fine, but I'm definitely getting the LEDs.

You can retro, it just takes a bit of work for the wiring. The X5M guys have done it.

[filip75]

Can someone please remind what are the differences between the European spec'd LEDs vs. US ones? Weren't some of the features disabled?

[UK6]

This is a video from BMW showing the adaptive led technology, I think the light steering is disabled in the US according to posts I've seen here.

[RealStig]

The whole LED light thing is a big waste of money. They look good only at night from a distance and they make absolutely no difference from a usability perspective. If you park two cars right next to each other, you wouldn't be able to tell which is which at day time unless you are standing 1-2 feet in front of the cars.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by filip75

Can someone please remind what are the differences between the European spec'd LEDs vs. US ones? Weren't some of the features disabled?

The feature the shuts off and/or redirects the high beams when encountering oncoming traffic is disabled.

[chicagofan00]

Originally Posted by RealStig;*****320

The whole LED light thing is a big waste of money. They look good only at night from a distance and they make absolutely no difference from a usability perspective. If you park two cars right next to each other, you wouldn't be able to tell which is which at day time unless you are standing 1-2 feet in front of the cars.

I prefer the look of the LED housing and how they look at night compared to the Xenons. Sure it's subtle and doesn't make a huge difference at the end of the day but it's an option I'm willing to check the box on. Sometimes you gotta pay to play and it's one I'm willing to pay for this time around.

To each their own though and hopefully by having the LEDs it will make my car just a bit different than some of the others on the road as I'm sure not all of the ones the dealers stock will have this box checked.

[bernstem]

Originally Posted by UK6;*****253

This is a video from BMW showing the adaptive led technology, I think the light steering is disabled in the US according to posts I've seen here.

Hadn't seen that before. Maybe I am easily impressed, but that is phenomenal.

[F9T]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

The feature the shuts off and/or redirects the high beams when encountering oncoming traffic is disabled.

Why would that be disabled? Maybe I am not understanding, but my E90 had the feature that shut off the high beams when approaching oncoming traffic.

[Bimmer4John]

Originally Posted by infantrytroop22

Why would that be disabled? Maybe I am not understanding, but my E90 had the feature that shut off the high beams when approaching oncoming traffic.

Auto High Beam is still enabled in the US. This is the feature that you described above and is just an ON or OFF binary functionality. In addition the US also still gets the traditional ability to have the low beams follow the road during turns. This was originally what adaptive headlights referred to.

What is not enabled in the US is the ability to keep high beam on and just move the beam of light away from traffic to avoid blinding them (as seen starting at 1:23 of the previous video). The reason for this is that US laws don't currently allow this.

The good news is that, from what i gather from the 3/4 series forums, this functionality can be re-enabled through coding. This applies to both the Full LED lights as well as the Xenon lights so long as you have the auto high beam option as well.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Bimmer4John

Auto High Beam is still enabled in the US. This is the feature that you described above and is just an ON or OFF binary functionality. In addition the US also still gets the traditional ability to have the low beams follow the road during turns. This was originally what adaptive headlights referred to.

What is not enabled in the US is the ability to keep high beam on and just move the beam of light away from traffic to avoid blinding them (as seen starting at 1:23 of the previous video). The reason for this is that US laws don't currently allow this.

The good news is that, from what i gather from the 3/4 series forums, this functionality can be re-enabled through coding. This applies to both the Full LED lights as well as the Xenon lights so long as you have the auto high beam option as well.

Exactly!

[ska///235i]

I have seen LED on the 4 series at night...they look fantastic

The light doesnt bleed out and its very clear and crisp

[Carl L]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

That function is alive and well. I think all xenon equipped cars have that function.

Nice, adaptive lights is one of the key advances in headlight technology. Means I'll be sticking with Xenons as adaptive is more important to me than the "bulbs".

[tisme]

I've ordered these adaptive LEDs for my M3, and I'll let you know in June if they work as sown on the video; I'm sure they will.

[Carl L]

Originally Posted by RealStig

I'm not sure how these automatic beams would even work in the US highways. I hardly drive in one lane roads where this would be useful and in the highways, wouldn't it blind people coming from the opposite direction when you are following someone closely? Or does it even work?
.

It was useless on the E60 M5. Maybe the sensors have somehow improved, but if not it's a gimmick.

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by Carl L

It was useless on the E60 M5. Maybe the sensors have somehow improved, but if not it's a gimmick.

I had it on my F10. It worked very well. Hardly ever got flashed.

I would say it's kind of useless is you are in an urban or well lit suburban area. I mean, I can count on one hand the number of times recently that I've actually used my high beams other than to flash people, and it's not because it's terribly difficult. But if I lived in a more rural area, I'd love it.