Active High Beam Pattern

[EasyTiger75]

I have a XC60 MY24 with adaptive active high beam where it adapts the main beam pattern around other vehicles. I have had this feature on previous cars so am well aware of it's features and limitations but the Volvo system appears to inferior to others and am trying to work out if I have a specific problem or whether the performance is normal.

Primarily I'm experiencing 2 specific problems. The first problem is that the beam pattern when following a vehicle or when detecting a oncoming vehicle sits significantly below the beam pattern when driving on dipped headlights, causing the road directly in front to only be lit for a short distance. This is particularly unnerving when the car decides that a black/white chevron bend sign is another car and then dips so low that the bend is barely illuminated. My expectation was that the active beam should never dip lower than the dipped beam in the area immediately in front of the vehicle.

The second problem is that street furniture on the nearside of the vehicle seems to cause the high beam on the left to continually turn on and off. When driving on rural unlit roads with junctions to the left, I'm conscious that the car may appear to be flashing someone waiting at the junction who will then pull out in front of me.

It would be good to know whether others experience the same behaviour before I start trying to get the dealer to investigate.

[vonRypp]

Originally Posted by EasyTiger75

I have a XC60 MY24 with adaptive active high beam where it adapts the main beam pattern around other vehicles. I have had this feature on previous cars so am well aware of it's features and limitations but the Volvo system appears to inferior to others and am trying to work out if I have a specific problem or whether the performance is normal.

Primarily I'm experiencing 2 specific problems. The first problem is that the beam pattern when following a vehicle or when detecting a oncoming vehicle sits significantly below the beam pattern when driving on dipped headlights, causing the road directly in front to only be lit for a short distance. This is particularly unnerving when the car decides that a black/white chevron bend sign is another car and then dips so low that the bend is barely illuminated. My expectation was that the active beam should never dip lower than the dipped beam in the area immediately in front of the vehicle.

The second problem is that street furniture on the nearside of the vehicle seems to cause the high beam on the left to continually turn on and off. When driving on rural unlit roads with junctions to the left, I'm conscious that the car may appear to be flashing someone waiting at the junction who will then pull out in front of me.

It would be good to know whether others experience the same behaviour before I start trying to get the dealer to investigate.

I don’t have much experience but the last time I used it, it was working poorly. The resolution itself is bad so when an oncoming car triggers the feature it turns off a way too big area and sometimes fails to follow the car and turn the light back on late. My 2019 Mazda MX-5 had a much better system for half the price.

[sandys]

Seems pretty good on my xc60 but I have little experience of alternatives apart from a '23 530e whose system was quite unresponsive in comparison, I've been quite impressed with how well it tracks etc but can imagine there will be difficult scenarios for it.

I have noticed a bright sign did set it off once but it recovered quickly enough that I did not consider it a concern.

[Nippy]

Originally Posted by EasyTiger75

I have a XC60 MY24 with adaptive active high beam where it adapts the main beam pattern around other vehicles. I have had this feature on previous cars so am well aware of it's features and limitations but the Volvo system appears to inferior to others and am trying to work out if I have a specific problem or whether the performance is normal.

Primarily I'm experiencing 2 specific problems. The first problem is that the beam pattern when following a vehicle or when detecting a oncoming vehicle sits significantly below the beam pattern when driving on dipped headlights, causing the road directly in front to only be lit for a short distance. This is particularly unnerving when the car decides that a black/white chevron bend sign is another car and then dips so low that the bend is barely illuminated. My expectation was that the active beam should never dip lower than the dipped beam in the area immediately in front of the vehicle.

The second problem is that street furniture on the nearside of the vehicle seems to cause the high beam on the left to continually turn on and off. When driving on rural unlit roads with junctions to the left, I'm conscious that the car may appear to be flashing someone waiting at the junction who will then pull out in front of me.

It would be good to know whether others experience the same behaviour before I start trying to get the dealer to investigate.

Yup, my V90 is the same, it’s pretty crap, so hardly ever bother with it.

[rhd443]

My2020 S60 here and they are flawless, only the odd time a lorry driver flashes as the car can't see his headlights over the motorway barrier so the driver gets full beam.

The shadow follows nearly and remains lit up with roadsigns and cars with their taillights off when parked up in a layby etc.

The height is fine, always find myself missing them when driving standard cars now, they are all like candles in comparison.

Worth asking for an alignment maybe? Unless it's an android OS difference?

[EasyTiger75]

Originally Posted by rhd443

My2020 S60 here and they are flawless, only the odd time a lorry driver flashes as the car can't see his headlights over the motorway barrier so the driver gets full beam.

The shadow follows nearly and remains lit up with roadsigns and cars with their taillights off when parked up in a layby etc.

The height is fine, always find myself missing them when driving standard cars now, they are all like candles in comparison.

Worth asking for an alignment maybe? Unless it's an android OS difference?

I've been wondering if it needs some kind of alignment/calibration, based on the feedback so far I might raise it with the service centre and see what they say.

My basic understanding of how these systems work is that the lighting controller will likely be from a 3rd party such as Continental or Bosch and so would have thought its operation was independent of the cars main OS? Can't rule out that there is a difference between Sensus and AAOS systems though.

[rhd443]

Originally Posted by EasyTiger75

I've been wondering if it needs some kind of alignment/calibration, based on the feedback so far I might raise it with the service centre and see what they say.

My basic understanding of how these systems work is that the lighting controller will likely be from a 3rd party such as Continental or Bosch and so would have thought its operation was independent of the cars main OS? Can't rule out that there is a difference between Sensus and AAOS systems though.

I do feel after driving an xc40 with ASOS, it's systems behaved differently to my older model, the high beam assist (non shadow feature) reacted slower and worse than my sensus model, it kept full beam on with street lighting, where mine gently merges the shadow back to dipped beam when adequate street lighting returns on the route.

Worth an ask to the dealers that for sure!!

[Chudy85]

I had a V90 loan car with AAOS, and I can say my Sensus-based system is working much better. I had this car only for one night, but it was enough to have a feeling that something was wrong with those lights. I stopped using them. When I got my car back, I drove the same road, and I need to say the lights worked quicker. I mean switching them on/off, cutting shade for the car, etc. I thought that this was just my perception of driving a car that wasn't fully set up, but after reading your posts, it looks like that car behaves like this.

[V60 probably]

Originally Posted by rhd443

My2020 S60 here and they are flawless, only the odd time a lorry driver flashes as the car can't see his headlights over the motorway barrier so the driver gets full beam.

The shadow follows nearly and remains lit up with roadsigns and cars with their taillights off when parked up in a layby etc.

The height is fine, always find myself missing them when driving standard cars now, they are all like candles in comparison.

Worth asking for an alignment maybe? Unless it's an android OS difference?

I've a 2021 V60 and I find it works fine too. My last two cars were Mercedes, both of which had the same technology and I can't say the Volvo is any worse. I think they're brilliant and just as reactive as on the Mercs.