Headlights for continental driving

[mike95]

As we are off to France this weekend I too contacted Volvo.

To be fair they came back to me very quickly with the following response:

New XC60 2018 model year
LED with Active High Beam - No adjustment required
LED (bending) with Active High Beam - No adjustment required

Therefore the lights in the new XC60 automatically accommodate the approaching traffic so as not to dazzle oncoming drivers.

So it seems that we need not worry and it all happens automatically.

Hope this helps.

Mike

[ukden]

I assume that your car will have the adaptive LED headlights, if that is the case, they should "adapt".

However, I interpret the "no adjustment required" to really mean no adjustment possible.

There is no way that my non adaptive headlights will not dazzle oncoming drivers, if I am driving on the right.

I will look for a suitable wall to shine my lights at, and photograph the light pattern. I will post the pics on here. It may take a while, I live in a rural location, there are not many walls around!

[mike95]

Well, I simply asked the question and they quickly and politely came back to me with a clear answer.

Sharing it here was just to help other owners.

I am happy to see how it goes at the weekend before challenging the people who we should have confidence in to provide the correct information.

Mike

[ukden]

Originally Posted by ukden

I will look for a suitable wall to shine my lights at, and photograph the light pattern. I will post the pics on here. It may take a while, I live in a rural location, there are not many walls around!

I found a suitable location to photograph my dipped headlight beam (local agricultural machinery supplier with adjacent level car park).

This beam pattern will clearly dazzle oncoming drivers when driving on the right.

Here is the result:

[Lexman8]

Originally Posted by ukden

I found a suitable location to photograph my dipped headlight beam (local agricultural machinery supplier with adjacent level car park).

This beam pattern will clearly dazzle oncoming drivers when driving on the right.

Yep, it certainly will. It's hard to believe that Volvo hasn't incorporated a method for adjusting this or at the very least produced a masking template.

[mike95]

Now back from our short hop to France.

I am pleased to report that, as suggested by Volvo, I didn't do anything to the headlamps and all seemed fine.

My night time drive was only about half an hour but in a built up area with quite a lot of traffic and no one flashed me.

I didn't use the high beam and just left it on dip.

Mike

[ukden]

Originally Posted by mike95

I am pleased to report that, as suggested by Volvo, I didn't do anything to the headlamps and all seemed fine.


Mike

Is your dipped beam the same as mine? See my post of 3rd Nov.

I assume that you have adaptive headlights, whereas I do not. I do not know whether the adaptive system also applies to the dipped beam.

My dipped lights would certainly dazzle oncoming drivers if I were driving on the right. I have asked customer support and my local dealer, both have promised to get back to me with an answer, neither has (yet).

[nu11eaf]

Originally Posted by ukden

Is your dipped beam the same as mine? See my post of 3rd Nov.

I assume that you have adaptive headlights, whereas I do not. I do not know whether the adaptive system also applies to the dipped beam.

My dipped lights would certainly dazzle oncoming drivers if I were driving on the right. I have asked customer support and my local dealer, both have promised to get back to me with an answer, neither has (yet).

Keep the faith.

[NickV90]

Ukden... my V90 momentum beam pattern in the same as yours.

Led with auto dipping but not the adaptive technology.
Volvo do indeed say no adjustment is needed when driving abroad. I have asked direct and the dealer.
There is no option in sensus in this model... in spite of some folk telling me I am wrong.
There is no adjuster under the bonnet.. in spite of some folk telling me I am wrong.
There is no beam height adjustment.

And having driven at length in France in the dark, people did flash me on multiple occasions.

Ho hum
Nick

[Lexman8]

If the standard beam pattern is asymmetric you're bound to get flashed driving on the 'wrong' side of the road. Really surprised that Volvo haven't allowed for this on some cars.