Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

It's the little things - Auto High Beam

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.

NOLA_Mike

Active Member
May 11, 2013
2,270
3,862
Colorado
I love all the new features added to my P85D yesterday with the 6.1 update. I think the TACC works as well or better than my previous Audi A7. The improvements made to the parking sensors and the corresponding display are a big improvement. Shuffle is a nice addition.

But of everything they added I think I like the Automatic High Beams most of all. Can't really explain this since it seems like a minor part of the update but I really appreciate this unexpected addition (unexpected by me anyway - I don't remember seeing that was coming). I marvel at how well they read real time conditions and operate - I haven't had to manually override them yet (I often had to override the ones in my 750Li because I thought they didn't react quick enough and would blind other drivers).

Way to go Tesla!

Mike
 
Just tested this myself and I'm pretty impressed with how it works. It seems to take into consideration ambient lighting, not just oncoming cars headlights. I went down a fairly dark street that has a couple street lights - between the lights the high beams came on; as I came upon a street light the high beams would dim. And of course it worked for oncoming traffic.
 
I love all the new features added to my P85D yesterday with the 6.1 update. I think the TACC works as well or better than my previous Audi A7. The improvements made to the parking sensors and the corresponding display are a big improvement. Shuffle is a nice addition.

But of everything they added I think I like the Automatic High Beams most of all. Can't really explain this since it seems like a minor part of the update but I really appreciate this unexpected addition (unexpected by me anyway - I don't remember seeing that was coming). I marvel at how well they read real time conditions and operate - I haven't had to manually override them yet (I often had to override the ones in my 750Li because I thought they didn't react quick enough and would blind other drivers).

Way to go Tesla!

Mike

I think it's the MobileEye system. As I have MobileEye in my car I can attest that the automatic dimming feature works incredibly well.
 
I don't have the required hardware, so for me this is just academic curiosity, but I have always wondered how the automatic high beams would work. I understand it handles oncoming cars, but what about pedestrians? I don't want to blind pedestrians (or bicyclists) coming my way any more than car drivers, so I am curious, does the auto-dimming handle that in some way as well?
 
For those who have this (we are STILL waiting for our P85D!), does it correctly anticipate oncoming traffic around blind corners or hills? I always try to dim as soon as I notice that an oncoming car is about to enter the path of my high beams, but before direct line-of-sight occurs. Does the Tesla/Mobileye system do this?

- - - Updated - - -

For more detailed info on this system, I think it's safe to refer to: Head Lamp Control - Mobileye

Impressive technology.

BTW, Tesla has said (I believe Elon himself) that Tesla uses the Mobileye "chips" but does their own image recognition software. If this is true, the feature set may deviate (improve upon?) from that which is described in the link above. It would be interesting to try to track this by studying the observed feature sets of the Tesla version and the OEM Mobileye version.
 
For those who have this (we are STILL waiting for our P85D!), does it correctly anticipate oncoming traffic around blind corners or hills? I always try to dim as soon as I notice that an oncoming car is about to enter the path of my high beams, but before direct line-of-sight occurs. Does the Tesla/Mobileye system do this?

I find (in my admittedly limited testing so far) that it does a good job at this. I'm very conscientious about this and don't want to blind other drivers and I'm seeing it dip the high beams just before oncoming traffic comes into direct line of sight.

Mike
 
I marvel at how well they read real time conditions and operate - I haven't had to manually override them yet (I often had to override the ones in my 750Li because I thought they didn't react quick enough and would blind other drivers).

Way to go Tesla!

Mike

BMW auto high beams are actually much more advanced than this version in the S. It takes advantage of the adaptive lens movement and will position the lens away from oncoming traffic as well as traffic you come up behind. It will appear to you that its disregarding the cars around you but its merely moving the lens in real time and keeping your lighting maximized to the last instance. Its actually a remarkable design -

BMW Intelligent Headlight Technology: Long Version. - YouTube
 
BMW auto high beams are actually much more advanced than this version in the S. It takes advantage of the adaptive lens movement and will position the lens away from oncoming traffic as well as traffic you come up behind. It will appear to you that its disregarding the cars around you but its merely moving the lens in real time and keeping your lighting maximized to the last instance. Its actually a remarkable design -

BMW Intelligent Headlight Technology: Long Version. - YouTube

Unfortunately that impressive technology wasn't on mine. As a matter of fact, I don't think it's on any models that come to the United States. Antiquated laws and regulations that are very slow to change and adapt in the United States don't allow for that advanced technology.

I could be wrong and things may have changed since I don't really keep up with the BMW forums for the last 2 years or so.
 
Auto high beams work will in both city and highway driving.

In regards to other cars, my 2013 MB S had them and they worked really well. A little more sophisticate in that they would dim one light and also bend around a corner...

But I like my Tesla better overall!
 
Does anybody with the 6.1 update have any experience with auto dimming when approaching cars from behind? I am particularly mindful about annoying the driver in front of me when approaching.

Thanks!

My experience has been that auto dimming works well for both cars coming toward me and cars traveling in the same direction in front of me.