[Pentium]

I hate Halogens in every BMW cause they do not have the Angel Eyes looks...no matter how good they are!

LED lights are damn sexy!

[agentrnge]

The LED options do look nice. Glad to know we can spend $1000 for a non-functioning feature. good jaerb DOT.

Does anyone know if the angel eyes/rings or any other accent lighting turns off when you use your blinkers? I know audi dos this and I cant effing stand it. Some dumb safety thing, because turning lights off always makes you more visible. lol.

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Thanks Fleet.

Question: Are there any features of the adaptive light that are DOT legal and compelling enough vs. the base light that BMW NA might still be able to justify offering them? Or will the Adaptive LED simply be omitted from the US option list entirely?

The situation is unfortunate. And it is confounding (at least to me) in that we have what BMW calls an Adaptive Xenon light option for the 4 Series and M3/M4 (and I suppose for the outgoing, pre-LCI 3 Series too). I can conclude that the way in which the Xenon light is adaptive differs from the way in which the LED light is adaptive in such a sway that former is legal while the latter is not. But the whole thing is really quite a mess, which is nothing new when government regulatory forces are at play.

Then we add in the further confusion that the one-and-only 4 Series (and M3/M4) LED light is both adaptive and sold in the US, but the adaptive features are largely (or completely - I can't remember which) disabled. So essentially, 4 Series and M3/M4 owners in the US are made to pay $1900 for a lighting setup which has features built into it that they are not even able to take advantage of. And to add to the insult, BMW now offers a version of the light which removes the hardware to support those adaptive features to 340i owners as standard equipment.

(A consolation to US 4/M3/M4 owners - they can add in the adaptive features via coding - technically running an illegal setup I suppose, but more power to them I say - whereas, if BMW fails to offer that setup at all for the 340i, the only way to get the adaptive features would be an expensive retrofit).

My point here is not to complain about the state of things, but merely highlight how ridiculous the situation is. I suspect there will be a new non-adaptive headlight offered for the 4 Series at the time of its LCI. Whether the M3/M4 are given that option (in the past they've not gotten updates headlights) or if they stick with the Xenon, we'll have to see.

The "full" Adaptive LED lights are really "Adaptive with anti dazzle"
The "anti dazzle" bit is what some refer to as "tunneling" and the bit not available in the US.

Now for example the 6 Series came out with only "adaptive LED" even in Europe and you need the 6 Series LCI to get "Adaptive with anti dazzle"

"Adaptive LED" work just like "Adaptive Xenons" in that they can swivel as you turn the steering wheel.

The US DOT regulations dont allow the "anti dazzle" part yet, but the rest of the adaptive parts are ok.
Some in the US, especially F10 owners, have activated the "anti dazzle" via coding and found it works.

My guess now is BMW USA will offer adaptive LED as a option, since it does add the features found on adaptive Xenons and at one stage the DOT may approve the system and then its just a software update to enable it.

[stormlv]

Originally Posted by agentrnge

The LED options do look nice. Glad to know we can spend $1000 for a non-functioning feature. good jaerb DOT.

Does anyone know if the angel eyes/rings or any other accent lighting turns off when you use your blinkers? I know audi dos this and I cant effing stand it. Some dumb safety thing, because turning lights off always makes you more visible. lol.

I can't stand the damn thing either!
Looks like it broke or something each time you put your blinkers on
I don't think the BMWs do this, but I'll check tomorrow morning :P

[agentrnge]

So Adaptive means road following, like they have had for ~8 years? This is not the same as the laser based illumination that changes light output shape around oncoming traffic or cars in front. That is the tech that the DOT has not allowed yet?

Edit: I didnt realize the anit-dazzle bits were part of the LED light package too.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by agentrnge

So Adaptive means road following, like they have had for ~8 years? This is not the same as the laser based illumination that changes light output shape around oncoming traffic or cars in front. That is the tech that the DOT has not allowed yet?

Edit: I didnt realize the anit-dazzle bits were part of the LED light package too.

The "Adaptive" in Adaptive LED means several features as swiveling (cornering), anti-dazzle and variable light distribution.

The "Adaptive" in Xenons is not in the same league as the Adaptive LED, as the only feature is cornering lights.

The DOT problem with the Adaptive LED is the anti-dazzle and the variable light distribution -the amount of light that is projected does not meet US standards. This is just a matter of study and then approval as DOT always has been into the headlight regulation heavily in the USA since I remember (sealed beams anybody?).

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by agentrnge

So Adaptive means road following, like they have had for ~8 years? This is not the same as the laser based illumination that changes light output shape around oncoming traffic or cars in front. That is the tech that the DOT has not allowed yet?

Edit: I didnt realize the anit-dazzle bits were part of the LED light package too.

LED and laser are 2 very different headlights.
Only the i8 has laser right now. New 7 Series will get it later.

The non-US adaptive LED with anti dazzle "changes light output shape around oncoming traffic or cars in front." No lasers involved

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by Technic

The DOT problem with the Adaptive LED is the anti-dazzle and the variable light distribution -the amount of light that is projected does not meet US standards. This is just a matter of study and then approval as DOT always has been getting into the headlight regulation in the USA since I remember (sealed beams anybody?).

Well they have had since 2012 to look at it on BMW's and 2013 on Audi's and they still havent made up their mind.

[MSport28]

Interesting comparison. Seeing these types of illustrations makes me mad that BMW would "lower" itself by using such primitive, inferior lighting solutions on what are supposed to be premium vehicles. All BMW's should have angel eyes and xenons at least. LED's should be an upgrade, not a necessity because the halogens are so terrible.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

Well they have had since 2012 to look at it on BMW's and 2013 on Audi's and they still havent made up their mind.

The sealed beams took about 10 years to be phased out so we have plenty of time.

[greekcs]

The ultimate nickel and dime machine. I bet it costs much more to R&D several lighting options rather than 2; an entry level LED and advanced LED unit; Suppose it has more to do with marketing than anything else.

[SamS]

Originally Posted by MSport28

Interesting comparison. Seeing these types of illustrations makes me mad that BMW would "lower" itself by using such primitive, inferior lighting solutions on what are supposed to be premium vehicles. All BMW's should have angel eyes and xenons at least. LED's should be an upgrade, not a necessity because the halogens are so terrible.

BMW not considered a "premium vehicle" in all markets. In Europe, they are used as taxis and police cars. Certainly not worthy or necessary uses for (expensive) LED technology.

[Mr.SugarSkulls]

Goodness, the halogen ones look like garbage compared to the LED

[diesel20]

The Adaptive LED headlights seem to be missing the small cornering lights found on other models with these headlights

[goon]

Someone please convey the message to BMW

Halogens are a thing of the past, why offer them AT ALL?

They are garbage

[WWM3]

Halogens do look bad. At least the E90 LCI halogens had an angel eye type design and more closely resembled the xenons.

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by goon

Someone please convey the message to BMW

Halogens are a thing of the past, why offer them AT ALL?

They are garbage

Because a huge percentage of worldwide sales are still halogen.
Its a way to keep the prices within company car/ tax/ insurance/ ect ect brackets.

You want a Xenon/LED 320i or a Halogen 328i ?
Or a Passat or a Halogen 320i

[UnfoundLegend]

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

This is full adaptive BMW LED.
USA does not get this function thanks to DOT.
Rest of the world does.

You can easily code this feature in on all full LED headlights: 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 series in the US and any country for that matter. It's just disabled by default.

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by UnfoundLegend

You can easily code this feature in on all full LED headlights: 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 series in the US and any country for that matter. It's just disabled by default.

As was mentioned above.
Unless the LCI software continues the current stance to be made harder to code

[jadnashuanh]

FWIW, the DOT lighting code ends up about 46 pages long, and defines some things like requiring a high/low beam indication and control to the driver, and specific light positions, heights, illumination levels, and beam patterns. The full adaptive system needs LOTS of things to be modified in the codes before they would be legal for use in the USA. It would be nice if they moved faster than a glacier, or if they allowed cross-certification as in, if it's legal in say the EuroZone, it would be legal in the USA as well. They've been talking about that for years, but it has not happened...trying to get rid of or usurp some authority of a government agency is really hard to do!

[greekcs]

Originally Posted by UnfoundLegend

You can easily code this feature in on all full LED headlights: 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 series in the US and any country for that matter. It's just disabled by default.

I have it coded on my 4 and still have an issue with blinding those driving in front of me even though I clearly see the beam moving right and left of the vehicle in my path. Perhaps the FLA cam isn't up to par and we need KAFAS.

[raysspl]

Halogen is really laughable for a $33k base price car. They could've implemented a cheap Chinese HID & that would've been a better alternative than halogen.

Even $16k Toyota Corollas have LED headlights. What a shame.