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Lack of matrix headlights is a glaring omission on Teslas sold in Europe, too. Pretty much any other high-end car in Europe has them, at least as an option.

TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago
What are matrix headlights?
- ebg13 6y ago
  It's described in the article.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- Kiro 6y ago
  You're commenting on an article that is basically just a short description of matrix headlights asking what matrix headlights are.
- rogem002 6y ago
  High beam lights which turn off in sections to not blind other drivers. They're pretty neat! You can drive on a highway, have high beams lighting up signs but not dazzling other drivers.
- squidlogic 6y ago
  Sometimes known as pixel lighting, matrix systems are based around a high-beam unit consisting of a cluster of LEDs (the Audi matrix system consists of up to 25 LEDs per high-beam unit), rather than a single high-beam bulb that you might find in a conventional headlight. This allows you to block out certain portions of the beam so you don't blind other drivers as they approach.
  - vidanay 6y ago
    On this type of lighting, what is the purpose of having high and low beams? It seems like you should be able to leave it on high all the time.
    - wil421 6y ago
      Most nicer headlights are shaped[1] in a way that the drivers side beam is shorter than the passenger side beam. You don’t want to blind drivers and it gives the passenger side more visibility. They also adapt to turns. Matrix headlights do the same and much more. High beams illuminate the whole road and not just the ground in the same lane as the car. [1] https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1827/4457/products/3_03867ad6-ac45-4c0f-9846-3733b2a5f35f_800x.jpg?v=1594359799 https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1827/4457/products/3_03867...
    - pandaman 6y ago
      You will blind yourself with your own high beams in heavy rain/snow/fog.
      - luma 6y ago
        Interestingly, a similar version of these systems was demonstrated back in 2012 which could track individual snow flakes or rain drops. They would avoid illuminating the drops so they wouldn’t reflect back at you, thus reducing glare and allowing you to see much further. https://youtu.be/4jwhQM6aDS8 https://youtu.be/4jwhQM6aDS8
        pandaman 6y ago
        Such system could work in moderate conditions, though it's doubtful. As soon as you get water "dust" in front of the headlight the only thing this tracking can do is to shut off the light entirely, there is no way isolating separate droplets and the cloud of "dust" will disperse the light further into the medium.
        6y ago
- stygiansonic 6y ago
  From the article: “Each of the 911's lighting units includes 84 individually controlled LEDs that allow the car to continuously morph the pattern of its beams. When a car approaches in the oncoming lane, the 911's headlights dim around it while leaving the rest of the pattern bright. The other driver doesn't get blinded, but you still have blazing lights on your side.”
justapassenger 6y ago
Tesla’s lack tons of stuff that’s standard or an option on other high end cars. They need to catch up on things like ventilated and massage seats, HUD, CarPlay, bird view cameras and many many more. They’re effectively simple cars, with powerful computer and drivetrain. Adding localized and very complex feature is likely very low on their to do list, especially as their RD spending is ridiculously low, and trending downward for last few years.
- TwoBit 6y ago
  I read that Tesla does have ventilated seats. That Tesla isn't a fan of HUDs (I think they are OK but not important at all). That bird view cameras aren't possible unless Tesla moves their existing cameras or adds yet more. It's silly to call them simple because they lack some esoteric features while ignoring useful features they have that other cars don't, such as dynamic software updates (and many others such as their piloting).
  - justapassenger 6y ago
    > I read that Tesla does have ventilated seats. It was very short lived option. > It's silly to call them simple because they lack some esoteric features Esoteric to people buying used 10 Toyota’s (there nothing wrong with that btw). But standard in high end cars. I’ve listed only few that come to top of my head, but it’s very long list, from features, through tiny gadgets in interior, sound insulation, and many others > while ignoring useful features they have that other cars don't, such as dynamic software updates Exactly as I said, powerful computer. Tesla is really good at computer stuff and drivetrain stuff. But they are very poor at rest of the car stuff. There’s nothing wrong with that - different people have different priorities for what they want from their cars. But let’s not dismiss validity of the features, just because someone’s favorite toy doesn’t have them.
- brianwawok 6y ago
  CarPlay is silly. CarPlay was made for legacy manufacturers who can’t make a decent UI. The UI on Tesla is generally ahead of CarPlay. Not even sure how you would do CarPlay.. a small pop-up window? It couldn’t take over the whole nav or you lose Energy display and a host of other good stuff.

TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago

What are matrix headlights?

ebg13 6y ago
It's described in the article.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
Kiro 6y ago
You're commenting on an article that is basically just a short description of matrix headlights asking what matrix headlights are.
rogem002 6y ago
High beam lights which turn off in sections to not blind other drivers. They're pretty neat! You can drive on a highway, have high beams lighting up signs but not dazzling other drivers.
squidlogic 6y ago
Sometimes known as pixel lighting, matrix systems are based around a high-beam unit consisting of a cluster of LEDs (the Audi matrix system consists of up to 25 LEDs per high-beam unit), rather than a single high-beam bulb that you might find in a conventional headlight. This allows you to block out certain portions of the beam so you don't blind other drivers as they approach.
- vidanay 6y ago
  On this type of lighting, what is the purpose of having high and low beams? It seems like you should be able to leave it on high all the time.
  - wil421 6y ago
    Most nicer headlights are shaped[1] in a way that the drivers side beam is shorter than the passenger side beam. You don’t want to blind drivers and it gives the passenger side more visibility. They also adapt to turns. Matrix headlights do the same and much more. High beams illuminate the whole road and not just the ground in the same lane as the car. [1] https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1827/4457/products/3_03867ad6-ac45-4c0f-9846-3733b2a5f35f_800x.jpg?v=1594359799 https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1827/4457/products/3_03867...
  - pandaman 6y ago
    You will blind yourself with your own high beams in heavy rain/snow/fog.
    - luma 6y ago
      Interestingly, a similar version of these systems was demonstrated back in 2012 which could track individual snow flakes or rain drops. They would avoid illuminating the drops so they wouldn’t reflect back at you, thus reducing glare and allowing you to see much further. https://youtu.be/4jwhQM6aDS8 https://youtu.be/4jwhQM6aDS8
      - pandaman 6y ago
        Such system could work in moderate conditions, though it's doubtful. As soon as you get water "dust" in front of the headlight the only thing this tracking can do is to shut off the light entirely, there is no way isolating separate droplets and the cloud of "dust" will disperse the light further into the medium.
        6y ago
stygiansonic 6y ago
From the article: “Each of the 911's lighting units includes 84 individually controlled LEDs that allow the car to continuously morph the pattern of its beams. When a car approaches in the oncoming lane, the 911's headlights dim around it while leaving the rest of the pattern bright. The other driver doesn't get blinded, but you still have blazing lights on your side.”

justapassenger 6y ago

Tesla’s lack tons of stuff that’s standard or an option on other high end cars. They need to catch up on things like ventilated and massage seats, HUD, CarPlay, bird view cameras and many many more. They’re effectively simple cars, with powerful computer and drivetrain. Adding localized and very complex feature is likely very low on their to do list, especially as their RD spending is ridiculously low, and trending downward for last few years.

TwoBit 6y ago
I read that Tesla does have ventilated seats. That Tesla isn't a fan of HUDs (I think they are OK but not important at all). That bird view cameras aren't possible unless Tesla moves their existing cameras or adds yet more. It's silly to call them simple because they lack some esoteric features while ignoring useful features they have that other cars don't, such as dynamic software updates (and many others such as their piloting).
- justapassenger 6y ago
  > I read that Tesla does have ventilated seats. It was very short lived option. > It's silly to call them simple because they lack some esoteric features Esoteric to people buying used 10 Toyota’s (there nothing wrong with that btw). But standard in high end cars. I’ve listed only few that come to top of my head, but it’s very long list, from features, through tiny gadgets in interior, sound insulation, and many others > while ignoring useful features they have that other cars don't, such as dynamic software updates Exactly as I said, powerful computer. Tesla is really good at computer stuff and drivetrain stuff. But they are very poor at rest of the car stuff. There’s nothing wrong with that - different people have different priorities for what they want from their cars. But let’s not dismiss validity of the features, just because someone’s favorite toy doesn’t have them.
brianwawok 6y ago
CarPlay is silly. CarPlay was made for legacy manufacturers who can’t make a decent UI. The UI on Tesla is generally ahead of CarPlay. Not even sure how you would do CarPlay.. a small pop-up window? It couldn’t take over the whole nav or you lose Energy display and a host of other good stuff.