T6.1 Retrofit high-beam assist and traffic-sign assist?
- Thread starter Gary_M
- Start date
I have both on the Caravelle.
I wouldn't pay for the auto high beam, it's the worst implementation of it I've found on any vehicle and I've turned it off. All it does is flash the powerful LED lights right into incoming traffic and I'm fed up of driving dreading it's next mistake. The fact you can't turn it off when you know it's about to make a mistake without either (a) flashing the traffic anyway or (b) turning off your headlights is such a critical design error I regard the system as actively dangerous.
The traffic recognition is fairly useful and was something that made me choose this particular van, but even living with it for a year I wouldn't pay to have it retro fitted.
If you've driven vans with them on and like them then fine, but both systems I'd recommend you are sure they really suit your needs before looking at retrofits.
I wouldn't pay for the auto high beam, it's the worst implementation of it I've found on any vehicle and I've turned it off. All it does is flash the powerful LED lights right into incoming traffic and I'm fed up of driving dreading it's next mistake. The fact you can't turn it off when you know it's about to make a mistake without either (a) flashing the traffic anyway or (b) turning off your headlights is such a critical design error I regard the system as actively dangerous.
The traffic recognition is fairly useful and was something that made me choose this particular van, but even living with it for a year I wouldn't pay to have it retro fitted.
If you've driven vans with them on and like them then fine, but both systems I'd recommend you are sure they really suit your needs before looking at retrofits.
I do t agree with @roadtripper!
I've just retrofitted HBA and a good test drive left me feeling pretty happy - The speed of response is about as immediate as it can be.
I like the fact that if you are wanting to use manual lighting, a simple turn of the light switch from "Auto" to manual, restores normal operation of the lights.
I applied HBA because my wife is used to it on her car and doesn't really like driving at night without it. With Christmas parties approaching it is imperative that I provide as few reasons as possible not to be chauffeured about!
I'm going to give traffic sign recognition a go this week too.
I've just retrofitted HBA and a good test drive left me feeling pretty happy - The speed of response is about as immediate as it can be.
I like the fact that if you are wanting to use manual lighting, a simple turn of the light switch from "Auto" to manual, restores normal operation of the lights.
I applied HBA because my wife is used to it on her car and doesn't really like driving at night without it. With Christmas parties approaching it is imperative that I provide as few reasons as possible not to be chauffeured about!
I'm going to give traffic sign recognition a go this week too.
I'd get on with HBA with once simple change; if it was enabled but HBA only took over with a double press of the high beam rather than the way around it is now, double press to disable. That way I could use it on roads where it works well but avoid using it where it continually gets it wrong leading to angry flashing all the time.
The fact you can't cancel it without going to high beam anyway (drilling some poor driver with the full might of the LEDs) or footling around your knee trying to find the main light switch, awful bit of design.
I loved HBA for the first few days but I grew tired of being "that guy" with the lights as it's weaknesses became more apparent. I did try and use it a bit longer with the double press to make sure it was off on roads that didn't work well but it was harder work than just doing the lights yourself.
In my experience it gets it wrong on:
Winding country roads, especially where a bend masks one rear light and the LEDs light up the car in front like a WW2 blitz search light, or where dips mask the lights of oncoming traffic.
Most trunk dual carriageways where the lights of the other lane are masked by the barrier.
Essentially pretty much any situation where it doesn't see the lights of other cars but you the human can see the car it will make the wrong choice.
The most annoying thing is the timing, when it gets it wrong it immediately can see in the now bright road the car and they snap off again - so the other driver just sees you doing an aggressive flash and responds the same way.
Mine may be misscalibrated but I have most of the digital toys on the Caravelle and this is the only one I really really don't get on with. I just wish I could flip the enabling logic, but as far as I'm aware there isn't coding to do that.
The fact you can't cancel it without going to high beam anyway (drilling some poor driver with the full might of the LEDs) or footling around your knee trying to find the main light switch, awful bit of design.
I loved HBA for the first few days but I grew tired of being "that guy" with the lights as it's weaknesses became more apparent. I did try and use it a bit longer with the double press to make sure it was off on roads that didn't work well but it was harder work than just doing the lights yourself.
In my experience it gets it wrong on:
Winding country roads, especially where a bend masks one rear light and the LEDs light up the car in front like a WW2 blitz search light, or where dips mask the lights of oncoming traffic.
Most trunk dual carriageways where the lights of the other lane are masked by the barrier.
Essentially pretty much any situation where it doesn't see the lights of other cars but you the human can see the car it will make the wrong choice.
The most annoying thing is the timing, when it gets it wrong it immediately can see in the now bright road the car and they snap off again - so the other driver just sees you doing an aggressive flash and responds the same way.
Mine may be misscalibrated but I have most of the digital toys on the Caravelle and this is the only one I really really don't get on with. I just wish I could flip the enabling logic, but as far as I'm aware there isn't coding to do that.
Both HBA and TSR can be coded in but you must have the forward facing camera in the windscreen used for lane assist otherwise it will be an expensive upgrade. My van has both factory fitted but quite honestly they are the least desirable options. The HBA is especially annoying and I disable it most of the time
