[AllBlackBimmer]

On my M40i on my headlights, I have "BMW Adaptive LED" .. and I have adaptive lights (obviously) and I have auto Hi beams.

I have a loaner x3 30i - same exact year as my m40i - on my loaner, it just says "BMW LED" ... but the loaner DOES HAVE adaptive lights that swivel, but does not have auto hi beams.

Is the high beam the only different? why does one include the word "adaptive" and the other doesn't, when both headlights do actual have adaptive?

EDIT: this is on the exterior on the headlight in the side
Just curious one why has adaptive in the label on the light, and the other one doesn’t… even though both cars do have the adaptive feature.

[huggy509]

Originally Posted by AllBlackBimmer

On my M40i on my headlights, I have "BMW Adaptive LED" .. and I have adaptive lights (obviously) and I have auto Hi beams.

I have a loaner x3 30i - same exact year as my m40i - on my loaner, it just says "BMW LED" ... but the loaner DOES HAVE adaptive lights that swivel, but does not have auto hi beams.

Is the high beam the only different? why does one include the word "adaptive" and the other doesn't, when both headlights do actual have adaptive?

Are you saying there is an adaptive setting with led on the stalk ?

and, either way are you just talking of the turning corner lights or the true adaptive where they split or move to the side adapting to traffic ?
my wife hates adaptive as the lights dance around too much for her

[mailman_fin]

Originally Posted by huggy509

my wife hates adaptive as the lights dance around too much for her

Just dont use automatic mode, then no dance anymore?

[Chief Orman]

So I am about to get my headlights coded for true adaptive by codemybimmer.ca. Does the true European adaptive headlight functionality obviate the need for auto high beam switching/anti-dazzle on US cars?

[arRod1981]

Originally Posted by Chief Orman

So I am about to get my headlights coded for true adaptive by codemybimmer.ca. Does the true European adaptive headlight functionality obviate the need for auto high beam on US cars?

I've had my X3 coded by them as well. You still need to turn on the Anti-Dazzle every time you drive by pressing the top outside button on the turn signal stalk. Otherwise it's just the normal high beam. Besides being able to visually see it's on, the auto light on your dash will turn from green to blue when Anti-Dazzle is working.

[gugin]

Originally Posted by AllBlackBimmer

Is the high beam the only different? why does one include the word "adaptive" and the other doesn't, when both headlights do actual have adaptive?

EDIT: this is on the exterior on the headlight in the side
Just curious one why has adaptive in the label on the light, and the other one doesn’t… even though both cars do have the adaptive feature.

The "adaptive" feature in BMW Adaptive LED does not refer to left and right headlamp swiveling as you turn your steering wheel. It refers to a feature called Non-Glare High Beams or Anti-Dazzle High Beams. That feature allows your high beams to adapt to traffic around you. When you follow a car the high beams "split" and illuminate the area to the left and right of the car you are following, but do not illuminate the car itself, thus ensuring that the driver is not blinded. When there is a car approaching you on the other side of the road, the high beams move around to again prevent the oncoming driver from being blinded (eventually the left high beam turns completely off). The high beams in non-adaptive headlights are either fully on or fully off. This means that as soon as there is a car close to you, the high beams simply turn off.

See, for example, this explanation:

[huggy509]

Originally Posted by mailman_fin

Just dont use automatic mode, then no dance anymore?

she doesn’t, then again she doesn’t drive much at night unless we are at a pub

[AllBlackBimmer]

Originally Posted by gugin

The "adaptive" feature in BMW Adaptive LED does not refer to left and right headlamp swiveling as you turn your steering wheel. It refers to a feature called Non-Glare High Beams or Anti-Dazzle High Beams. That feature allows your high beams to adapt to traffic around you. When you follow a car the high beams "split" and illuminate the area to the left and right of the car you are following, but do not illuminate the car itself, thus ensuring that the driver is not blinded. When there is a car approaching you on the other side of the road, the high beams move around to again prevent the oncoming driver from being blinded (eventually the left high beam turns completely off). The high beams in non-adaptive headlights are either fully on or fully off. This means that as soon as there is a car close to you, the high beams simply turn off.

See, for example, this explanation:

GREAT info!
Exactly what i was looking for.
I thought "Adapative" meant swivel when turning - that is not the case (well, it is on my old e90) but "Adapative" on my m40i refers to my auto-high beam function which is much more advanced than just a simple "on/off" function, which is what i thought it was.

Thanks for the great info, learned a little something today!

[gugin]

But note that the adaptive feature of the BMW Adaptive LEDs is not active from the factory on a US car because, until recently, it was not legal in the United States. In other words, high beams are either on or off, just like with non-adaptive LEDs. However, you can activate the feature by coding on adaptive LEDs.

[AllBlackBimmer]

Originally Posted by gugin

But note that the adaptive feature of the BMW Adaptive LEDs is not active from the factory on a US car because, until recently, it was not legal in the United States. In other words, high beams are either on or off, just like with non-adaptive LEDs. However, you can activate the feature by coding on adaptive LEDs.

Interesting.
US has ridiculous light laws.

So... with that being said, what exactly do my adaptive LED lights do on my US car? The hi beams just turn on and off like you said? Isn't the the exact same feature as the BMW LED (non adaptive) ... if so, what is even the point of them putting them on US cars

[Chris Pringle]

Originally Posted by AllBlackBimmer

Interesting.
US has ridiculous light laws.

So... with that being said, what exactly do my adaptive LED lights do on my US car? The hi beams just turn on and off like you said? Isn't the the exact same feature as the BMW LED (non adaptive) ... if so, what is even the point of them putting them on US cars

My understanding is that the diluted U.S. version of adaptive LED’s just automatically turn on/off both high beams to minimize blinding others. Both left/right sides are either on or off. In the full version of Adaptive lighting, the LED’s work in blocks or sections (left side, right side or both sides high beams) that automatically turn on/off by reading the traffic ahead in order to minimize blinding oncoming cars. The full version Adaptive Lights is what came standard in my car (delivered in Mexico) and it works amazingly well. I used to get lots of drivers flashing their high beams on my previous ‘14 X1 with xenon headlamps even in LOW beams (dealer checked it a couple of times and they were aligned correctly), but not anymore with this new and much smarter LED design.

Someone mentioned the wife found adaptive lighting annoying. I can see this happening in city traffic, especially with the US reduced version of adaptive LED’s. But in open roads, it is a really useful safety feature to have.

As mentioned, X3M40i’s in the U.S. can also have the full version adaptive headlamps, but it needs to be coded to be enabled on.

[gugin]

Originally Posted by AllBlackBimmer

Isn't the the exact same feature as the BMW LED (non adaptive) ... if so, what is even the point of them putting them on US cars

Tough to say. The obvious answer is more profit for BMW. Personally, I also think that the adaptive lights look better, especially the daytime running lights. It is also possible that the swiveling mechanism is more advanced on the adaptive headlights, but I don't know that for sure. If you search the web, there are discussion threads where people claim that the adaptive headlights are a bit brighter.

[Chief Orman]

Originally Posted by gugin

Tough to say. The obvious answer is more profit for BMW. Personally, I also think that the adaptive lights look better, especially the daytime running lights. It is also possible that the swiveling mechanism is more advanced on the adaptive headlights, but I don't know that for sure. If you search the web, there are discussion threads where people claim that the adaptive headlights are a bit brighter.

Based on the video above you are simply able to have high beams on longer and in more varied situations. Nothing but a good thing in my view as I get older. Ridiculous that this feature was shut off for US market.

[Mike34532]

Mine is only marked as 'BMW LED' on the units, but they do have high beam assistant, corner lights and the brilliant adaptive matrix LED system that can independently control the full beam across both headlights to create sections of darkness to avoid dazzling (although not foolproof, and the delay to dipping doesn't work well on the UK twisty country roads!).

[gugin]

Are you sure that you have the anti-dazzle feature with just regular non-adaptive LED lights? If you look at the headlight straight on, you can see the individual light emitting diodes reflected in each mirror segment (you may need to look a bit from a distance). The adaptive LED lights have three diodes in the outer light and four diodes in the inner light. How many do your lights have?

[antair]

Originally Posted by gugin

Are you sure that you have the anti-dazzle feature with just regular non-adaptive LED lights? If you look at the headlight straight on, you can see the individual light emitting diodes reflected in each mirror segment (you may need to look a bit from a distance). The adaptive LED lights have three diodes in the outer light and four diodes in the inner light. How many do your lights have?

X3'22 - I have BMW LED written on the headlights. However this is the adaptive led headlight option (S552) (mdecoder.com)

[gugin]

Interesting. Can you snap a few photos for us to see the light emitting diode layout in the LCI lights? The photos I've posted above are for a pre-LCI Adaptive LED lights on the X3.

[jikhead]

Here's some information on this topic since it was recently finally legalized but with some caveats.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases...0of%20schedule.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/18/b...eadlights.html

[antair]

Originally Posted by gugin

Interesting. Can you snap a few photos for us to see the light emitting diode layout in the LCI lights? The photos I've posted above are for a pre-LCI Adaptive LED lights on the X3.

[IMG]https://i.postimg.cc/J0Q51RgH/F91-C0...52-CD2-FBE.jpg[/IMG]

Where should I look to count diodes? Tried from different angles but can't find a clear perspective. The lenses are textured and hard to see through.

[gugin]

I see. This is a completely different headlight design than on the pre-LCI models. I suspect the diodes are hiding behind the large lens and there is no longer an easy way to count them without taking apart the headlight.

[timmahh]

Resurrecting an old thread.

I just picked up an X3 for my mother which has "adaptive LED headlights"

Here is my knowledge of BMW headlights from previous cars:

-First, we all know that anti-dazzle is decoded for US-bound cars. That limits the advanced functionality, but other components of adaptive remain active.

-With that, my G30 had the iconic LED headlights. These were quad-LEDs that would swivel with steering input and auto adjust up/down.

-My G05 has the base LED headlights. These are dual-LEDs (inner projectors are dummy), but they still swivel with steering input and auto adjust up/down

-The X3 has quad-LEDs similar to the G30, but in my driving around, I see no movement of the lighting system at all. They are set to automatic on the knob (HBA is off because that has never impacted swivel control previously).


So to OPs original question, what is adaptive about these ones, knowing what is normally decoded for the US, and knowing that other series models have swiveling/adjusting headlights when they are adaptive?

Relevant equipment:
S552 Adaptive LED Headlight
S5AC High-Beam Assistant
S5AP Decoding Anti-Glare High-Beam Assistant

[Mike34532]

Originally Posted by timmahh

So to OPs original question, what is adaptive about these ones, knowing what is normally decoded for the US, and knowing that other series models have swiveling/adjusting headlights when they are adaptive?

Good question, I was wondering about this the other day.

As far as I can tell, with the HBA turned off there's nothing adaptive about the lights. I did read that some BMW headlights would change the beam pattern based on the speed, for example on the motorway the range is increased, and in town the beam is shorter but wider, but for the X3 I've not noticed anything like that.

The only adaptive part on mine seems to be the corner lights, which are quite subtle.