[D2nice]

Ok I've had the I8 for a few months now and absolutely love the car. I really don't do much driving at night but one of my issues is that the ighting is not bright enough and especially around corners. I love the lights on my M4. Granted I did have the lighting package, I would expect the I8 to be just as good if not better. just wondering if anyone is experiencing the same. If anyone has opted for the new laser lights please feel free to comment if they're happy with it.

[NGR]

Spooky timing, I have had my 2014 for a few months and I'm happy with the brightness but was just wondering if anybody can confirm if the headlights should swivel around corners?

I'm booked in for a fuel system problem next week and wanted to know if the headlights need checking as well. I used to have a 635D and loved the swivelly headlights!

[zagaboo]

Standard lights and not had an issue with light levels at night.

I do activate auto beam though - have you tried this? It can sustain a higher overall light level even with oncoming traffic, as it cuts out specific blocks of light only where it is needed to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.

Not in car, but I think you activate it by pressing and holding the 'A' on the indicator stalk.

[Amgeater2]

Originally Posted by zagaboo

Standard lights and not had an issue with light levels at night.

I do activate auto beam though - have you tried this? It can sustain a higher overall light level even with oncoming traffic, as it cuts out specific blocks of light only where it is needed to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.

Not in car, but I think you activate it by pressing and holding the 'A' on the indicator stalk.

+2 to be quite honest I had an M4 with the Led lights and I feel the other way around the i8 has better lights IMO

[phoenixbmwlife]

Thing about the laser lights is its high beam only. Which to me kinda sucks since most of the time you drive with low beams. I also find it somewhat of a gimmick because of this. Not exactly, but I was considering the laser lights until I found out its high beam only.

But you shouldn't have a problem seeing with the low beams at all.

[D2nice]

Originally Posted by PhoenixWolf

Thing about the laser lights is its high beam only. Which to me kinda sucks since most of the time you drive with low beams. I also find it somewhat of a gimmick because of this. Not exactly, but I was considering the laser lights until I found out its high beam only.

But you shouldn't have a problem seeing with the low beams at all.

Wow that does suck. What really sucks though is some of the guys here were retrofitting the new laser lights and paying anywhere from 7-10k!! only for high beams lol

[phoenixbmwlife]

Originally Posted by D2nice

Wow that does suck. What really sucks though is some of the guys here were retrofitting the new laser lights and paying anywhere from 7-10k!! only for high beams lol

To be fair I'm not sure about Europe laser lights in the i8. I can only say for US spec.

[emmfive]

Originally Posted by zagaboo

Standard lights and not had an issue with light levels at night.

I do activate auto beam though - have you tried this? It can sustain a higher overall light level even with oncoming traffic, as it cuts out specific blocks of light only where it is needed to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.

Not in car, but I think you activate it by pressing and holding the 'A' on the indicator stalk.

I don't think we get that feature on US cars. The "A" button automatically toggles between high and low beams, but that's it. I've read coding the car can enable all or part of the anti-dazzle feature but I haven't coded this car yet so can't confirm.

[D2nice]

Originally Posted by Amgeater2

+2 to be quite honest I had an M4 with the Led lights and I feel the other way around the i8 has better lights IMO

Ok so what I'm thinking is that even though it might seem normal to everyone here, I was used to the M4 that has lighting package with adaptive LED lights, I also had the car coded which made it brighter and also activated anti-dazzle feature only available in Europe (the real way it's supposed to work) and it was spectacular!! US specs have the lights at 70% brightness and though auto high beam is a feature, it doesn't give you all that its meant to do. US cars have to get coded to do this correctly and activate all features (it's a light show!!). I am probably answering my own question where maybe its not set to full brightness. Curious though looking at my window sticker it mentions under my world package

- 20" BMW I light alloy wheels T
- LED Headlights w/cornering

So technically they are supposed to swivel. Also off topic I did have my I8 coded and activated the rear fog lamps and swapped out the headlight switch with a European switch.

[zagaboo]

For modern led headlights, surely they don't need to actually swivel, as they operate on a matrix system - that how they cut out blocks of light, isn't it?

So, for instance when you turn, the most extreme edges of the matrix should light up. I'll pay more attention next time I'm driving at night to see if this is the case in either dipped or 'A' headlights.

[phoenixbmwlife]

Originally Posted by D2nice

Ok so what I'm thinking is that even though it might seem normal to everyone here, I was used to the M4 that has lighting package with adaptive LED lights, I also had the car coded which made it brighter and also activated anti-dazzle feature only available in Europe (the real way it's supposed to work) and it was spectacular!! US specs have the lights at 70% brightness and though auto high beam is a feature, it doesn't give you all that its meant to do. US cars have to get coded to do this correctly and activate all features (it's a light show!!). I am probably answering my own question where maybe its not set to full brightness. Curious though looking at my window sticker it mentions under my world package

- 20" BMW I light alloy wheels T
- LED Headlights w/cornering

So technically they are supposed to swivel. Also off topic I did have my I8 coded and activated the rear fog lamps and swapped out the headlight switch with a European switch.

Yeah you just answered your own question. And adaptive lights cast their beam in the direction of the curve when you turn your steering wheel in that direction.

[D2nice]

Originally Posted by PhoenixWolf

Yeah you just answered your own question. And adaptive lights cast their beam in the direction of the curve when you turn your steering wheel in that direction.

I thought i was answering my own question in assuming the I8 is like the M4 in the sense that US specs are set to about 70% brightness. I however was just speculating. Does anybody know if this is true for the I8 in the US? Also funny how when pulling my car in the garage at night or when it's not to bright out, I can see the projection of the headlights moving left and right in both my 5 and M4. I don't see this on the I8. was playing around turning the steering wheel left and right and nothing, nada, zilch, no movement from the headlights. has anybody noticed if it swivels like i think it supposed to? if so then there's my problem. please chime in if you try to test this

[skinrock]

Originally Posted by D2nice

- LED Headlights w/cornering

I thought the swiveling was always called "Adaptive Headlights". Cornering is just using the fog light.

BMW USA website doesn't list either option for the i8.

I was under the impression that coding them for the anti-dazzle was the only way to get this feature.

[D2nice]

Originally Posted by skinrock

I thought the swiveling was always called "Adaptive Headlights". Cornering is just using the fog light.

BMW USA website doesn't list either option for the i8.

I was under the impression that coding them for the anti-dazzle was the only way to get this feature.

Right from BMW's website as you build it if you opt for laser lights, you will see this...

PLEASE NOTE:
You have selected the following:
BMW Laserlight
By adding this selection, you will also:
Remove
LED Headlights with Cornering Lights$0
NO, DO NOT CHANGE YES, CONTINUE

Also my window sticker clearly states the same. Im not sure where you were looking, but I8's don't have front fog lights. My wife's 5 does not have the extra $2,000 lighting package that my M4 does and the 5 series has "Xenon Adaptive headlights with LED rings and cornering" but regardless they both pivot, swivel turn whatever the hell its called lol and the I8 does not. Keep in mind that I had my I8 coded (with the exception of checking if brightness is also dimmed down to 70%) so rest assured we tried the anti dazzle code and it does not apply to the I8 it has a different lighting system. Point being did anyone test it to see if it moves left to right?

[skinrock]

Originally Posted by D2nice

Right from BMW's website as you build it if you opt for laser lights, you will see this...

PLEASE NOTE:
You have selected the following:
BMW Laserlight
By adding this selection, you will also:
Remove
LED Headlights with Cornering Lights$0
NO, DO NOT CHANGE YES, CONTINUE

Also my window sticker clearly states the same. Im not sure where you were looking, but I8's don't have front fog lights. My wife's 5 does not have the extra $2,000 lighting package that my M4 does and the 5 series has "Xenon Adaptive headlights with LED rings and cornering" but regardless they both pivot, swivel turn whatever the hell its called lol and the I8 does not. Keep in mind that I had my I8 coded (with the exception of checking if brightness is also dimmed down to 70%) so rest assured we tried the anti dazzle code and it does not apply to the I8 it has a different lighting system. Point being did anyone test it to see if it moves left to right?

Yea, I know...which is why I was confused why they listed Cornering Lights. That's different than Adaptive Headlights, which is listed on the M4. I had the same problem taking mine out for a canyon drive a few weeks back...I had to roll the window down for visibility.

[NGR]

On the subject of the 'swivel' function, my understanding of the spec according to BMW is that the headlights don't actually move (like they did on my older 635d using motors), but the LED matrix lights up different segments to help with corners.

With the motorized adaptive headlights, you could see the beams sweeping as you turn the steering wheel, very cool. And, when at a standstill, turning the steering wheel would also move the beams.

I think on the i8, you don't notice a sweeping effect because a chunk of LED on the side is switched on/off to fill in the direction you're heading. I need to have a look from the front while someone is steering.

[Almaretto]

NA vehicles with adaptive headlamps have two decoding variables:

• 8S4 Decoding for Variable Light distribution.
  • Low beam pattern changes based on speed, steering wheel direction, etc.
• 5AP Decoding for No-dazzle high beams (AKA NGHB)
  • This is the tunneling of high beams

[D2nice]

Originally Posted by Almaretto

NA vehicles with adaptive headlamps have two decoding variables:

• 8S4 Decoding for Variable Light distribution.
  • Low beam pattern changes based on speed, steering wheel direction, etc.
• 5AP Decoding for No-dazzle high beams (AKA NGHB)
  • This is the tunneling of high beams

This doesn't apply to the I8. This car is not equipped with adaptive head lights.

[Almaretto]

Originally Posted by D2nice

This doesn't apply to the I8. This car is not equipped with adaptive head lights.

I was referring to the M4, etc discussed as comparison.

[Aye-eight]

Originally Posted by D2nice

LED Headlights with Cornering Lights

To me, this seems to mean: there's headlights, and then there's cornering lights. The latter may just be a little bit of light directed sideways (but fixed), so you don't turn into completely dark corners. Certainly doesn't imply that any thing moves or is adaptive.

[MalibuBimmer]

Originally Posted by NGR

On the subject of the 'swivel' function, my understanding of the spec according to BMW is that the headlights don't actually move (like they did on my older 635d using motors), but the LED matrix lights up different segments to help with corners.

With the motorized adaptive headlights, you could see the beams sweeping as you turn the steering wheel, very cool. And, when at a standstill, turning the steering wheel would also move the beams.

I think on the i8, you don't notice a sweeping effect because a chunk of LED on the side is switched on/off to fill in the direction you're heading. I need to have a look from the front while someone is steering.

I believe that's correct. On my M6, which had the swiveling option, you could see the headlights go back and forth on sweeping canyon roads. I was once driving on such a road -- called Kanan-Dume for those who live in the L.A. area -- and got stopped by a sheriff's deputy. He thought I was going a lot faster than I was because of the back and forth motion of the headlights, but he couldn't time me so ultimately didn't give me a ticket. (I was going within the speed limit. It was Mel Gibson's deputy sheriff, soon after the Mel Gibson incident. A really weird cop.) On my more recent cars, when I leave my driveway at night and turn the wheel hard I can see additional lights turning on to show me the way through my turn.

[mrluvjones226]

i have the laser headlights. i tried searching for a car without them. i couldnt find one without the laser option. now that i have them i love it and couldnt live without it. visibility is amazing.... and they look cool