Can we also get some footage of how it looks FROM the perspective an oncoming car? (Obviously would be trickier to organise) Also, does flashing your headlights override the matrix system? (E.g. would it immediately illuminate all blocks, even whilst actively masking another car?)
Now, I don't want to defend Tesla any way, auto wipers should at least work acceptably. But there was an update around christmas time which improved them decently, but still not perfect. Tesla said it's harder than initially thought to get a neural network to correctly detect the amount of rain via a camera, which I, as a software engineer understand completely. You have to know, the neural network has to work in all light conditions, as well as different "rain" conditions (snow, hail, ice rain), and in foggy weather as well as to filter out any dirt or dust on the windshield in front of the camera. They will get there sooner or later, with enough training data, I don't doubt it. Does it take a long time? Yes. Are people right when they say it's about time Tesla should get them working correctly? yes. Is it as simple as people think it is? No.
@@tommendoza1812 MY(at least the latest ones) have matrix headlights, but they’re pretty low resolution. Technically they could just do a software update and turn it on, but nobody knows if they will do that.
Brilliant information, 30 odd years ago I was a Peugeot salesman in Brockenhurst, all my customers wanted white cars, so my 2nd hand sales section was also white cars from their part exchanges, they wanted to be seen when driving at night, we also got Donkeys and cows wandering into showroom if we had the big doors open, donkeys just wanted carrots
I'm really surprised, I think a part of this might be also due to the better cameras that the highland has too, higher quality and able to see other vehicles better, but how fast it reacts especially to cars coming across is really good. I REALLY hope they give the older headlights this function, especially since the Y referesh is still a while away and there's so many 3s and Ys with the older design.
Thanks Richard. Looks amazing, if a little hard to appreciate fully, given the parameters of a RU-vid video. As previously mentioned, my "Auto High Beam" is next to useless, so I eagerly await the update....
Excellent review. Do the headlights dim for the road signs too as the Mercedes do? The reflective signs can be quite blinding but the Mercedes system helps a lot
Thank you. Will this work driving in France without having to alter anything?? What happens if driving with normal headlights on in France? Will it still adjust the main beam as a-posed to just high beam? Kept getting flashed last year in model 2022 Model Y.
Main issue I have with my Model 3 Highland is with Trucks on the highway. There's a divider on the highway with some sort of low height obstruction like bushes or some artificial panels, these are fine for normal cars but what I found is that they obstruct oncoming truck headlights so from the Tesla's Cam POV it would only see the high cabin dim presence lights which are NOT enough to trigger the tesla into seeing a truck. TLDR: Only issue I have is with a vast majority of European truck designs having lower lights which are obstructed by the natural highway divider barrier. So the tesla cams dont think there's a vehicle there and shine the lights onto their cabin. Annoying but not too frequent, usually happens with trucks further away.
It reacts faster than most. To make it better for winding roads, those lights should turn along the bend. Mercedes and VAG-group has also kind of a half dimming for road signs and other shiny surfaces.
Good video…..my main concern is dazzling pedestrians, cyclists and as you say shining into houses and side on motorists. These automatic headlights are all very nice but I remember when cycling in the dark when oncoming motorists don’t dip their headlights I had to literally stop because I lost orientation it was so bad.
When halogen headlights were introduced I believe they had to have washer jets to keep them clean. My audi has matrix LED headlights and has these too. Presumably the Tesla has also even if it was only a software update? (Reason being, of course, that dirty headlights can dazzle because the dirt scatters the light in all directions.)
No - Under a certain lumen, you do not need to have washers. Tesla has always stayed below this threshold to avoid this rule to trigger, hereby saving some $ per vehicle. But to be honest - I had washers on my previous car. Every third time I used the windshield washers, it also sprayed the headlights. Worst shit function ever! Spraying all of the front of my car, even if it was a clear summer day, and I just wanted to remove some bugs from the windshield
Maybe you broke them somehow. Not sure how that was a bad thing, if you had a reason to wash your windshield then for sure headlights were not any less dirty, plus they donòt turn on in any quality car with only DRL or standing lights, you can switch to that if you are driving at night, but they @@apekatt2007
Fantastic and informative video as always Richard. I bought my 2022 model 3 Performance from you in March last year, my wife now has a 2020 Merc EQC and the matrix headlight are brilliant, so I am looking forward to the Tesla software update. Really enjoying you video's - keep'em coming!!
Can usually tell when a Tesla 3 or Y is behind you; their lights are often way too bright (or badly adjusted). Same when you pass one on the opposite side.
As you know, we had the active matrix function rolled out to earlier Teslas, as short while ago. And, frankly, it's been amazing, totally, amazing... I just NEVER get flashed anymore, with using the adaptive function. It does exactly what you show. I drive regularly on a mixed route, from Guildford to Epsom, on the back roads around Fetcham & Bookham, Headley, and The Cock Inn, and used to get flashed all the time. It's a regular route for me, and since the update, I don't even seem to be flashed as much using the regular dipped-beam lighting, but maybe that's just my imagination?
I am surprised... the old highbeam function was useless. Now I can leave it on all the time. Its not perfect but so far not a single driver did flash at me 🎉 and the beam of the HL lights in general is so much wider. Its not using mapdata for turning highbeams off in a city - it does turn it off when it recognizes streetlights I guess... It works great in my city but I saw at the end its not working in yours... hmm. Different Streetlights?
Thank you for your video and your commentary! It is by far the best documentation of Tesla headlights on the internet. You can do a follow-up in rainy conditions to see how the software copes with blinding reflections from wet roads. Additionally, the video quality is more than sufficient for the demonstration. 👉Lastly, I value your work overall. Your recent videos have addressed my two main concerns with my M3H on order-the missing ultrasound sensors and the headlights-leaving me without any second thoughts!
ultrasound, just like radar for cruise and rain sensor, those two things unfortunately wont be avoidable, never will work properly based on cameras alone. But headlights sure will work well after they combine the camera feed with map data, yaw sensor, some manufacturers did away with high beams using radar data and it works well so far.
The reaction time looks good way better than automated high beam, I don't think any of the oncoming vehicles flashed their headlights. Do matrix lights mask out pedestrians at all? I'm just wondering how the driver meets the Highway Code requirement 114, MUST not "use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders". Is there a manual dipped beam override for the driver or is the system intelligent enough to cope?
Pedestrians and cyclists would be interesting. With cycle paths often being next to country roads (often a bit lower than the road), it really sucks, when drivers decide not to put down their high beams (which they would definitely do for other car drivers).
i only wished your video had a much better quality. I think the camera you filmed it with was a cheap on? Although i must say that the high beams respond the quickest than any other car to switch to low beams.
It will be great to see Tesla sort out their headlamps. Of all the cars on the road the Tesla headlamps are always the ones that are blinding oncoming and in the rear view mirror.
@61mja Fantastic... maybe Tesla owners should be shown how to adjust them? Or Police giving out tickets for poorly adjusted ones? Of course, powerful headlamps is very useful and safer. Just on the road and not up into the sky. 👍
M3 and MY for sure, but not all Teslas. MS and MX you need to remove vanity panels under the bonnet and use a long allen key to manually adjust the headlights.@@61mja
Amazing to think that it's been 11 years since Audi introduced matrix headlights on its R18 Le Mans race car as a "world first" .... Now we don't give the technology a second thought, it's even available on a VW Polo! 😀
And has never worked. And weird the Richard and many more say Matrix when this is VW adaptive headlights. In conditions like these sure it works okey but when the road is more complex or frost/ice/dirt in the headlights then it's really dangerous.
Nice video, do I need to enable this in the settings on my m3 highland? I going to have to do a drive around the block now😂. I did see an update message yesterday.
Hi Richard, An interesting video of the new matrix lights, just a thought…How do the headlights react to cyclists? Cycling at night is a big problem if cars don’t dip. Also led light patterns often still dazzle on low beam. Be interesting to know at what point the car detects oncoming cycles with low power lights. M
Great video Richard. I have never seen this technology before. I have a 2023 Model Y. Hopefully we will get this technology authorized on our roads in the USA. Not sure if my vehicle is equipped with this technology. Thank you again.
@@apekatt2007 Well, no, that will not happen. Adaptive high beam headlights are not allowed in the U.S. even though legislature has in principle approved their use. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration may be years away from defining standards.
Have had the update now. Only done a few night miles but hugely impressed so far. A big upgrade from the original Auto High Beam which (at least in my case) was very unsatisfactory.
That must be one of the few new features they rolled out as an update that doesn't completely suck upon release. It looks really well refined. Sure, there's always room for improvement, but it's definitely ready to release.
Thanks Richard, a great demo. The auto high beams on my '23 Model Y are frankly embarrassing and drivhng down the A34 past Newbury at night is quite stressful. Can't wait for the update to reach the previous cars.
Do you have a guide on how to use cruise control on the highland? Every time I press it the car just accelerates instead of sticking to the speed I was driving at
Matrix function seems OK except road following function is missing (lights don't turn into the curve). The power (#lumens) seems to below that of the MB EQE or the Volvo XC40 (or Polestar 2).
@@thomasegeland1847From a highland owner, and previous owner of a 2021 model 3 and 2022 model y, i can totalt confirm. Much more even Light on the highland, but not as powerful
@@thomasegeland1847my M3 2020 lights are like half the brightness of my highland and so is the width. Huge difference but the 2020 had no matrix lens. But the highland lights are really good. There is no need whatsoever to have a light that turns into the corner now - the spread is so massive.
the Model Y is one of the worst cars to have behind you, it lights up your whole cabin and cant see anything in the mirrors, so I really hope this is not as bad.
Thanks for a good presentation of the active matrix headlights. In some way i would like to have them on my 2019 model 3, but now when the warranty expires, I’m not sure if i dear to have them. The cost of replacing them might be too high. My comments are based on a friends experience of having an Audi A8, which need to replace both headlights. His Audi dealer are insisting that to replace both headlights will cost nearly £14,000. When his car was new, he paid approach £5000 extra compared with led lights. I hope that Tesla are not tempted to the same level of margins, but I still suspect it will be quite expensive!
All cars after 2021 or so have this tech and hardware - It's just not enabled per software. Which again means that any headlight from a model 202X+ car from the local junkyard will have it, not just random extra expensive cars where the owners did an upgrade
Fearing for the update on my 2021 TM3 LR. There has just been so many issues, failed patches and flaws on the assist systems since the "Vision" horror downgrade
Ive watched you videos on the new higland and i dont think you mentioned that you have a touch pad between the sun visors which can be used for the drive controls instead of the screen.
For someone who had matrix headlights on a previous Audi before I bought my Tesla. I would say 50% of people were flashing me as they were still too bright for the incoming driver 🤷🏻♂️ even though I could see the beam working by dipping and shutting down where the car was I was still being flashed.
There will be a smidgeon of extra power needed for the fancy electronics. This will be measurable in milliwatts, but the saving in turning LED segments off will far out way any increase in power for the electronics.
I am super excited on my new model 3 when it will be shipped out. Its still in the port of shanghai waiting for a ship. For god sake I can't wait to drive it
My first car to have adaptive headlights was a Mercedes C63 in 2016, they were fantastic, even better than the laser lights in my new BMW i4. I’m surprised that the main beam on the Tesla is on where there are street lights and also at low speeds, as you described. The lights also don’t seem to follow bends in the road to ensure the near side kerb is illuminated at all times, this is pretty basic even without adaptive lights. In my experience the best way to see the effects of adaptive headlights is to follow a car on a fairly wide single carriage way, the C63 used to amaze me how far in front of the car in front I could see with the car blanked out…..but all in all adaptive headlights are always a big advantage if you do much night driving on country roads
Facelift i4 has the same sytem as your C63, your i4 has an older version Mercedes used from 2009 to 2013, BMW just kept it until now, althought I would argue it is better as a whole, as it is smarter and better at avoiding blidning other driverrs and lets call it, operators ignorance and stupidity. Although BMW did put a lot of failsafes when it moved away from what you have in your i4. Rules of adaptive high beams, never in rain, snow or fog, any fall from the sky. Other, never at interscetions, ramps and twisty roads, the low beam is designed well enough. BMWs have been programmed for that now, and Mercedes obviosyl.
I envy all you car owners who have matrix headlights. Mine’s got non-matrix LEDs and while I love how much they help me see, I’m always self-conscious about how they dazzle oncoming traffic despite being properly aimed and in low beam. If we’re all on level ground, it’s okay, but there are so many gentle slopes and curves in my area that it seems like my headlights are pointing straight into their windshields half the time. Localized dimming would be so helpful.
Great, can't wait to my M3/21. So now they just (still) need to improve on the wipers, they where good a year ago, but now they suck again. Also they need to make the models run with tail lights on full time, and the lights to shut off when leaving the car, weather you selected them on manualy or not. And a long wish is to dim the screen when going into a tunnel, the lights comes on instantly, but the screen stays bright(very right i a tunnel) And last when in high beam, does it still flips up and down with roadsigns and other stuff like small street lights and it must switch to lowbeam when entering urban city areas with streetlights, it doesn't at the moment!! Other carmakes does that without problems!
I had to go into the settings to adjust my 72 plate MY. Took a few tweaks but at least I do t get flashed anymore. The big question is will Tesla update my MY lights or will I end up with a highland first🤷♂️😂
I did not see much difference to my Model Y. I travel along in a Dark Sky area and never had a problem with seeing with my lights. They dip and full beam, and I have never been flashed. This may be useful when I go to France however, as I have to adjust my headlights for left hand drive.
Thank you! Do you know or think if this feature will switch automatically the headlights of a UK market car when crossing /driving in EU as to eliminate the requirement for a headlights defusers when we from UK drive our cars in EU?
Beam deflectors are required on traditional dipped lights that have a higher beam into the kerb and a lower beam into the oncoming lane. Tesla matrix lights have a flat dipped beam so don’t need to be deflected.
@@bluenova1000 The pre-highland model 3s have a noticeable kick up on the left which causes problems abroad for a lot of people. Ours would definitely have been catching people coming the other way if I hadn't have adjusted them down.
@@ramblerandy2397 I think they may have done with one of the updates in the second half of last year, but definitely weren't the last time we were over in Easter 23.
Matrix is a trademark for adaptive headlights from VW the group. Is highbeam legal when street lights illuminate the road? This looks okey the issue is when the headlights has water/frost/smuts on the in or outside.
Both my electric Mini and my 2023 Defender with matrix headlights drop to dipped beam for street lighted areas and if my speed drops below 30 mph on the open road. The range of the Mini’s matrix headlights on high beam is way longer than the 2023 Defenders too. Defender’s also are slow to react like that Range Rover’s were, Mini’s are much more sensitive - maybe due to better resolution cameras on the Mini?
It’s the quality of the camera really, but it’s the best I had on me at the time. They’re ok, but yes some other have better distance projection esp laser lights on i4 etc
@@TenniszoggerLet’s remember they only just recently started to put these in their cars, and the price tag of these compared to some of the better quality ones. I think these are good enough to be honest, and who knows maybe we get a software update to make them brighter 😆
Definitely much better!! 🤞🤞 for rest models… And I agree…, a bit more power/shining higher/further would be even better but anyway…, much better. Same issue with Auto Main Beam on rest of cars… still on at 5mph around houses, street light, etc…
@@apekatt2007 There is a software update for the wipers coming out in the next "month or two" according to a Tesla AI engineer. I'm sure Richard will report on the improved functionality of the wipers as well. Whilst the matrix headlights are a great addition, from what I've seen and heard the auto wipers setting has been a more noticed deficiency for many Tesla owners. Infact the auto wipers functionality is the number 1 issue Tesla owners complain about. To be fair though auto wipers are never going to be 100% perfect. In our VW Golfs we've had in the past they mostly work reasonably well but were not perfect and like in Tesla's they can and do suddenly wipe a dry windscreen or react a bit slow or spasmodically to certain types of rain and drizzle. In light misty drizzle they can struggle.
What about speed/performance? Seen posts saying for the LR: - pre 2021 Front 147kW, rear 188kW Total 335kW - 2021-2023 Front 98, rear 195kW Total 293kW - 2024 Front 85kW, rear 191kW Total 276kW So is the new model 3 LR slower?
@katchaontheflipside It basically sums up to: - One motor instead of two. Less horsepowers and only rear wheel drive - Fewer speakers. One less sub - Some different door panels, but looks almost better than the LR - Smaller battery/shorter range
@@apekatt2007 Thanks thats what i thought aswell. Nobody buys a Tesla for its interior i think😅 As an audiophile im taking my own amps, sub and speaker from my current car, OEM systems will never beat aftermarket there. i dont really need the AWD. Think not having the front motor makes a more dynamic car + RWD is fun^^ Also the extra range, its not that much right? Especially everyday use charging to 80% (with LFP to 100% no problem i believe)
@katchaontheflipside I chose the RWD as well. Coming from the 2019 Long Range, the range of a 2024 SR is almost the same as my 2019 LR. The front motor in the LR is only active when needed for grip or acceleration, so during normal driving, the LR is basically a RWD. Compared to the 2024 model, SR has about 530km WLTP VS 678km WLTP compared to the Long Range (18" wheels with aero covers on)
@@peterpage7322 I had a 2016 Q7 and I think their solution was a bit better. Rarely got flashed by oncoming traffic compared to 2020 3 Series and 2024 i4. Maybe they are brighter?
@@srbs73 Yes, late Audi headlights are better. I had a Audi RS GT which had great laser headlights but the car spent more time at Caffyns sorting problems which kept coming back to the point in 16 months we did more miles in courtesy cars than in the GT. So we forced a buy back. I now have a model y which is so much more reliable and will never buy another Audi……VW group are crooks as they didn’t give a damn and we ended up loosing £70k in 16 months. I should have known better after dieselgate than to buy another German car…..and I am half German.
