Matrix Lights affecting other drivers?

[Daggerit]

Maybe he was admiring your car

Possibly!

They're just very bright. It's random for me. Some days I'll get lots of drivers flashing, others it'll be fine. Has a impact on a crest or dip in the road. It does make very conscious.

I know what you mean. The crest of a hill is a key one as oncoming cars are always in the low beam area of light just as a result of positioning on the road and the LED are ridiculously bright so I can understand why they'd think you have the high beams on. Nothing that can be done about that though and I'd like to think that any halfway experienced driver would realise that, but it's rarely the case...

 

[cuke2u]

It's always happened with that senario in the past, I remember being flashed when I had a car that was only one step ahead of candles for headlamps and no self-levelling...

 

[SRB93]

With the Light and Vision pack, I'm assuming you just leave your lights on Auto for the Matrix lights to kick in? Picking my S5 up in a couple of weeks and can't seem to find anything about activating them, so just assumed they work by using auto.

 

[Thundercliffe81]

With the Light and Vision pack, I'm assuming you just leave your lights on Auto for the Matrix lights to kick in? Picking my S5 up in a couple of weeks and can't seem to find anything about activating them, so just assumed they work by using auto.

Auto and push forward on the main beam stick. The word 'Auto' comes up beneath your lights image on dash


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[SRB93]

Auto and push forward on the main beam stick. The word 'Auto' comes up beneath your lights image on dash


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Thankyou

 

[SRB93]

Auto and push forward on the main beam stick. The word 'Auto' comes up beneath your lights image on dash


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So initially, it must feel very weird to what would seem like putting your full beam on in a standard car.. but seems to work very well according to previous posts.

 

[Daggerit]

So initially, it must feel very weird to what would seem like putting your full beam on in a standard car.. but seems to work very well according to previous posts.

It is a bit odd but you can easily glance down to see if they're actually putting out light as the headlight symbol turns blue instead of white.

 

[cuke2u]

To turn auto off and placed them back into manual high beam you pull back up on the indicator stick, just in case you need to know..

 

[SRB93]

To turn auto off and placed them back into manual high beam you pull back up on the indicator stick, just in case you need to know..

A rare necessity I can assume, but thanks!

 

[Daggerit]

To turn auto off and placed them back into manual high beam you pull back up on the indicator stick, just in case you need to know..

And I think that only works if the light symbol is blue, otherwise you just flash the headlights...

 

[Thundercliffe81]

So initially, it must feel very weird to what would seem like putting your full beam on in a standard car.. but seems to work very well according to previous posts.

When it lights up blue then yes. It feels like you've taken the safety off of your rifle. Haha.


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[cuke2u]

And I think that only works if the light symbol is blue, otherwise you just flash the headlights...

I think the assumption was main beam assist was already on and the lamps are on auto, perhaps I didn't make that clear enough. Maim beam assist also needs to be turned off if you encounter fog as they will not perform as well..

 

[Daggerit]

I think the assumption was main beam assist was already on and the lamps are on auto, perhaps I didn't make that clear enough..

Yeah, I was just trying to clarify that if you push forward and have the white light symbol and AUTO but pull back to turn it off then it'll just flash other drivers. So the light symbol has to be blue, as although it's maybe what you meant, many people may not even notice that it changes colour is all.

 

[cuke2u]

We are on the same page I think...

 

[M5 Andy]

just to add to the comments - I frequently get flashed and beeped by fellow road users as they seem to be dazzled/ confused by the matrix lights, especially on B roads. I now don't use on dual carriageways as (per previous comments) HGV drivers get annoyed, as don't think the sensor picks up the light source from their headlights as blocked by the central reservation.

You may have already seen the Honest John review, albeit from 2014, entitled 'audi-tt_led-there-be-light' (don't seem to be able to post the link properly)

 

[SRB93]

Got a chance to use matrix lights last night for the first time... They're incredible! It's going to be one of those features I don't think I'd want to be without

 

[QuattroCalum]

There’s a pick up I pass most mornings at 3.40am on the way to work, he has a bad habit of flicking on to full beam before we have passed each other, he’s getting full beam tomorrow!
Some people are just dumb.


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[cuke2u]

Two wrongs don't make a right, rise above somebody else's stupidity...

 

[QuattroCalum]

Two wrongs don't make a right, rise above somebody else's stupidity...

It’s not as if it’s the odd occasion but every morning.


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[Kestrel]

As a matter of interest...are `Matrix Lights` the same as ` Full LED Lights` or are they something different?

 

[Riko0073]

As a matter of interest...are `Matrix Lights` the same as ` Full LED Lights` or are they something different?

They are full LED lights but with the added bonus that you can have them on 'auto full beam' and then the lights adjust automatically when it senses other car lights on the road and blanks out certain spots so not to glare other drivers but still maintaining maximum visibility in other areas....that's in my simple speak anyway!

The Audi site states...

The innovative technology combines a camera system with LED light sources and precision optics for highly adaptive light distribution.


The system blanks out light that would otherwise shine directly on oncoming vehicles or vehicles in front but continues to fully illuminate all the other areas in between and alongside. Automatic traffic sign glare reduction dims the light striking the highly reflective surface, which in turn ensures that the driver is dazzled less. The main lighting functions when unlocking the vehicle (coming home/leaving home), activation of driving lights, switching between the different light patterns and the control when oncoming traffic drives past are visible as dynamic processes in the headlight. The driver enjoys much greater visibility.

 

[Kestrel]

They are full LED lights but with the added bonus that you can have them on 'auto full beam' and then the lights adjust automatically when it senses other car lights on the road and blanks out certain spots so not to glare other drivers but still maintaining maximum visibility in other areas....that's in my simple speak anyway!

The Audi site states...

The innovative technology combines a camera system with LED light sources and precision optics for highly adaptive light distribution.


The system blanks out light that would otherwise shine directly on oncoming vehicles or vehicles in front but continues to fully illuminate all the other areas in between and alongside. Automatic traffic sign glare reduction dims the light striking the highly reflective surface, which in turn ensures that the driver is dazzled less. The main lighting functions when unlocking the vehicle (coming home/leaving home), activation of driving lights, switching between the different light patterns and the control when oncoming traffic drives past are visible as dynamic processes in the headlight. The driver enjoys much greater visibility.

Thank you for taking the time.

 

[cuke2u]

Just switch off auto in fog as they don't operate correctly according to the manual...

 

[Voronus]

Auto and push forward on the main beam stick. The word 'Auto' comes up beneath your lights image on dash

Haven't quite figured this out yet. Lights are in auto, I push the stick forward and I get the auto image but the picture doesn't go blue so main beam isn't on (unless I push forward again which is just a manual flash).

Do the matrix lights only come on at a certain light level or something (eg without street lights). Or some other trigger activates them?

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[Riko0073]

Haven't quite figured this out yet. Lights are in auto, I push the stick forward and I get the auto image but the picture doesn't go blue so main beam isn't on (unless I push forward again which is just a manual flash).

Do the matrix lights only come on at a certain light level or something (eg without street lights). Or some other trigger activates them?

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Yes that's my experience. Any element of street lighting etc then will just switch to low beam and the auto will turn white, once the lighting reaches lower levels then the auto turns blue and the full beam kicks in and the matrix lights do their thing!

 

[Thundercliffe81]

Haven't quite figured this out yet. Lights are in auto, I push the stick forward and I get the auto image but the picture doesn't go blue so main beam isn't on (unless I push forward again which is just a manual flash).

Do the matrix lights only come on at a certain light level or something (eg without street lights). Or some other trigger activates them?

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Yes. They detect the certain lack of light and come on as blue auto


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[Voronus]

Yes that's my experience. Any element of street lighting etc then will just switch to low beam and the auto will turn white, once the lighting reaches lower levels then the auto turns blue and the full beam kicks in and the matrix lights do their thing!

OK makes sense, thanks. I need to seek out darker roads. I do wonder though why approaching headlights don't trigger them to turn off rather than to mould the light around the cars

 

[gone]

If you are driving down a dark country lane and a car approaches then you generally would select low beam and be plunged into darkness as you are faced with oncoming headlights, with the matrix lights your side of the road is still very well lit and the sudden darkness doesn’t happen,

 

[Riko0073]

OK makes sense, thanks. I need to seek out darker roads. I do wonder though why approaching headlights don't trigger them to turn off rather than to mould the light around the cars

Matrix magic!!

 

[gone]

Is the dark bit ‘black magic’ then?

 

[gone]

Quite a good video of what happens

 

[milestonenong]

Yes that's my experience. Any element of street lighting etc then will just switch to low beam and the auto will turn white, once the lighting reaches lower levels then the auto turns blue and the full beam kicks in and the matrix lights do their thing!

No wonder I don't have a chance to see the automatic change from high to low or the other way around, since I mainly drive on urban road where there are mainly street lights being on

 

[Chimp]

The lights are amazing and even brighter than Xenons I have had previously. They work extremely well and I have only been flashed 2-3 times over the last 9 months or so. I think some people are more sensitive to lights regardless... but also probably look straight at all oncoming lights lol!.

The 2 areas that do concern me are pedestrians on a dark road and facing the lights as they always seem to be blinded when I pass and cars pulling out of junctions look illuminated alot (I know the lights shine to the side of the road better) but the drivers seem to be shielding their eyes when looking out the side of their vehicles.

I don't know if they are actually being shielded by the matrix or not to be honest but I do feel guilty sometimes.

 

[cuke2u]

At least pedestrians and cars coming out of side turnings can't say they didn't see you coming.

 

[wideboybloke]

Slightly different angle on this subject. I discovered from an online forum that there is a petition to ban or at least fit dimming mechanisms to ultra bright headlights. It needs 10,000 signatures before it can be presented to Parliament and a couple of days ago it had attracted 316, so I think we’ll be OK with our led’s for a while yet.

 

[Daggerit]

Slightly different angle on this subject. I discovered from an online forum that there is a petition to ban or at least fit dimming mechanisms to ultra bright headlights. It needs 10,000 signatures before it can be presented to Parliament and a couple of days ago it had attracted 316, so I think we’ll be OK with our led’s for a while yet.

So whomever started this petition basically just wants us to scrap the years of research in safer, more efficient car lighting and go back to the crappy and dim bulbs because they think that they're a little too bright? How about just don't look straight into them like a normal person and there's no problem!

If they're talking about cheap HID kits badly fitted into reflector type headlights that just scatterbomb the whole road with a ridiculous amount of light then I'm all in though.

 

[gone]

Been a hot topic for years http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13143206
The worst culprits are cyclists with stupid blinding flashing lights, and the fog light wally brigade. Too many road users in too little space and an age where everyone’s own opinion is right.

 

[cuke2u]

So whomever started this petition basically just wants us to scrap the years of research in safer, more efficient car lighting and go back to the crappy and dim bulbs because they think that they're a little too bright? How about just don't look straight into them like a normal person and there's no problem!

If they're talking about cheap HID kits badly fitted into reflector type headlights that just scatterbomb the whole road with a ridiculous amount of light then I'm all in though.

Quite, I rather hope that is aimed at the aftermarket brigade chavs..

 

[NoParticularPlaceToGo]

I find I get flashed less often in the matrix-fitted S4 than with my previous ‘15 plate A6 Allroad - perhaps the system has been refined in the last couple of years. But whenever I do get flashed it is either by a vehicle in the very far distance, or a high-seated trucker whose headlights haven’t yet appeared over the crest of a hill for the camera to “see”.

 

[SRB93]

I find I get flashed less often in the matrix-fitted S4 than with my previous ‘15 plate A6 Allroad - perhaps the system has been refined in the last couple of years. But whenever I do get flashed it is either by a vehicle in the very far distance, or a high-seated trucker whose headlights haven’t yet appeared over the crest of a hill for the camera to “see”.

I've only been flashed when there's a serious gradient in the road and the system can't detect other light sources.