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I've just got back from the Lake District in the UK where I've been driving a 2019 Range Rover Sport. I hired this vehicle just in case the weather conditions d
by buro9 7y ago
I've just got back from the Lake District in the UK where I've been driving a 2019 Range Rover Sport. I hired this vehicle just in case the weather conditions demanded it and for driving roads like this: https://www.visitcumbria.com/amb/wrynose-pass/ https://www.visitcumbria.com/amb/wrynose-pass/
What I discovered though, was "Intelligent High Beam"... which was an automatic head light mode that looked (from the driver perspective) like it used an LCD matrix over the high beam. It would fade up from the normal beam, flood the road, and then if a car was in front or approaching it would block out the parts of the scene in which those vehicles were present.
It turns out it is this: https://www.osram-continental.com/en/products/smartrix.html https://www.osram-continental.com/en/products/smartrix.html
It's something else to have full visibility of the sides of the road (where sheep wandered freely) and still not be blinding anyone in front or oncoming, and to not have to think about it at all. More than that, road signs were singled out and side obstacles made visible... whilst not blinding anyone.
Within a couple of days I took this fully for granted, and not a single vehicle we passed flashed their lights at us (which I'd expect if we'd blinded anyone).
Now if I buy a car I'd like lights like this.
- Ntrails 7y agoGrowing up in rural England I learned to Drive at night with dipped lights. Most of the roads are single track and the thing I damned well want to know is if something is coming the other direction. I actively control the high beams, raising and lowering in order to allow me to see what's coming and maintaining visibility on the road as appropriate. Automatics just assume you want all the light all the time bar when someone elses lights are already there.
- buro9 7y agoThe lights didn't prevent or reduce that ability.
- Ntrails 7y agoOf course they do. Your ability to see the high tips of light (not a great phrasing, can't think of a better wording) from something around the corner is predicated on it being dark up there. If your own lights are on high, then it isn't and you simply cannot distinguish as early (and this especially applies if the other driver has dipped lights).
- chrisseaton 7y agoI can’t really follow your argument. You can’t see people coming when there is more light? So in your mind visibility is worst in full daylight?
- OkGoDoIt 7y agoI think the parents is saying it’s harder to see an oncoming car’s headlights if the entire scene is lit more brightly.