Xenon lights

[m2srt]

Originally Posted by Networkguy

Correct. That is how they are designed to operate and what the type approval is all about.

But

There is nothing in the legislation that prevents an owner/driver turning them off should they choose.

Of course there has been a big push for years to make DRLs (and the use of them) mandatory in the UK. Several other countries have already taken this route in recent years.

I believe the current EU legislation is a compromise. They are now fitted as standard.

Indeed my current car has them (the LED type) but it came out of the factory with them turned off. I turned them on (via a menu option on the OBC) myself

So simply, if the car has a user selectable setting (as detailed in the manual) that allows you to turn them off then you are perfectly within your rights as the owner of the car to do so and you do not need to inform your insurance company.

Of course you do this against the argument of DRLs being an safety feature so why would you turn them off?

Wow, freedom of choice! Does that concept still exist in the EU? Interesting point that when I took my Golf in for its last service I had the DRL's turned off in the obc menu. When I collected the car, they were on. I would understand if it if they had done a software update but they didn't. So somebody changed the setting directly.

[Networkguy]

Originally Posted by m2srt

Wow, freedom of choice! Does that concept still exist in the EU? Interesting point that when I took my Golf in for its last service I had the DRL's turned off in the obc menu. When I collected the car, they were on. I would understand if it if they had done a software update but they didn't. So somebody changed the setting directly.

Being a service, surely they would have have checked they were working so would need to turn them on surely.

I would like to think (although I could be wrong) that all my lights are checked when my car is serviced including those that are turned off when i hand the car over.

As for freedom of choice in the EU!

Enjoy it while it lasts

[m2srt]

In the Golf DRL's are an extension of the dipped beam and not a seperate unit. So driving into the dim workshop the auto headlights would come on and you couldn't tell if DRL's were active unless you turned the headlights off.

[wimorrison]

Originally Posted by Networkguy

Correct. That is how they are designed to operate and what the type approval is all about.

But

There is nothing in the legislation that prevents an owner/driver turning them off should they choose.

...

The thing about type approval is that it provides a certificate for the entire vehicle as the design is presented.

"Type approval is the process of making sure that vehicles meet relevant environmental and safety standards, outlined in European Directives and UN ECE Regulations." (UK Government Business Link)

If the design is presented with an on/off switch for DRL (presumably submitted and approved before 7 Feb 2011) and it is approved then, that is acceptable.

If the type approval was requested for a new vehicle type to be sold after 7 Feb 2011 the type approval would be provided with DRLs illuminating automatically when the engine is running.

If subsequently you decide to switch them off you have broken the type approval, therefore not meeting the relevant safety standards and any vehicle not meeting the relevant standards is not allowed on the road.

[tem]

Originally Posted by wimorrison

The thing about type approval is that it provides a certificate for the entire vehicle as the design is presented.

"Type approval is the process of making sure that vehicles meet relevant environmental and safety standards, outlined in European Directives and UN ECE Regulations." (UK Government Business Link)

If the design is presented with an on/off switch for DRL (presumably submitted and approved before 7 Feb 2011) and it is approved then, that is acceptable.

If the type approval was requested for a new vehicle type to be sold after 7 Feb 2011 the type approval would be provided with DRLs illuminating automatically when the engine is running.

If subsequently you decide to switch them off you have broken the type approval, therefore not meeting the relevant safety standards and any vehicle not meeting the relevant standards is not allowed on the road.

My son recently bought a new BMW X1 and when he arrived home, I noticed that he did not have any DRL's.
We discussed this and going into the car menu, we found that they had been turned off.
During a phone call from the dealer to enquire how he was getting on with his new BMW, my son mentioned the DRL's, only to be told that they switch them off, as most drivers cannot be bothered with them.
I prefer the Volvo system.

tem.