In todays news...

[Mussels]

I'm not sure how I'd go about doing something similar in a modern car.

Stealth / Ghost Immobilizer, operates by means of a PIN code that's entered by any random buttons (of your choice) that are already in the vehicle

I had simple, reliable, bespoke and standalone in mind. After fitting an aftermarket alarm once and it never quite working properly I want any solution to be simple and easily bypassed if you know how.

[Mussels]

Bit of a sideways thought but some cars used to have a foot operated dip/main beam, which actually seemed quite a good idea. (Bit irrelevant now cars can decide - quite often rather late - when you need to dip the beam).

My new car has adaptive headlights that can dip a portion of the beam so that you have high beam on your side of the road but not in the face of incoming traffic ... bloody clever.

Mine goes one further than that. It's got megapixel resolution on the beam (the reflectors are arrays of microscopic mirrors) so it can draw boxes of dark around oncoming cars. It's bloody witchcraft, you get daymaker highbeam with little squares of black tracking the other cars.

Not sure who makes the system, several of the OEMs use it now under different brands.

I wonder if those are the ones that look to me like they are on a dipped beam but still manage to be blinding.

[Mr. Dazzle]

No-one has flashed me yet.

Probably still trying to find the stalk after being blinded

[Mussels]

No-one has flashed me yet.

Probably still trying to find the stalk after being blinded

I found this reply to a Skoda owner complaining he gets regularly flashed using matrix lights.
It doesn't look like full beam but is still dazzling, it might just be early ones that are bad.

Sensitivity setting is for light sensor, where matrix LED uses camera to detect cars. This setting should not affect matrix in any way.

I think problem with matrix LED (not only in Skoda) is the fact, that... other drivers are not used to them. What i mean, is that when passing a car with matrix, you can clearly see it's using long beam BUT you're not really dazzled. Many drivers are flashing, even though they are not dazzled.

So yes, matrix works as expected and is not dazzling, but you're being flashed by "overly sensitive" drivers, that are over-reacting.

Only situations where matrix do not work as expected are related to trucks. On some dual carriage roads, the barrier can block visibility of truck's lights to the camera, but it's driver is dazzled. On those roads system should not switch on high beam on the left (or right in UK) side to avoid this, but this is based on the sat-nav a believe, and not all roads seems to be marked correctly. Also when coming to a hill top, truck driver will be dazzled.

I was analyzing recordings from the dash cam, where i've been flashed, and i could clearly see, that matrix worked as expected, it was just other driver that was over-reacting.

[Potter]

I don't find any of this stuff charming at all, I just want my lights to illuminate enough for me to not drive off the road or hit an object in my path, I don't want intelligent systems for things like this. I'm happy to operate them manually as long as there is a path for the electrons to flow.

[Mr. Dazzle]

That's gen 1 matrix too, if you will. Multiple bulbs in a grid/array, hence the name.

Mine is a single big bulb and a clever reflector. It can even project a funky animation on a wall (like a projector TV) but UK law doesn't allow it. Something about headlights being "constant" only.

It's not just a gimmick, driving on unlit roads at night it's amazing. Night becomes day.

[MrLongbeard]

I'm not sure how I'd go about doing something similar in a modern car.

Stealth / Ghost Immobilizer, operates by means of a PIN code that's entered by any random buttons (of your choice) that are already in the vehicle

I had simple, reliable, bespoke and standalone in mind. After fitting an aftermarket alarm once and it never quite working properly I want any solution to be simple and easily bypassed if you know how.

Just pull a couple of coil packs, or fit one of them current limiting battery connections

[JamJar]

Bit of a sideways thought but some cars used to have a foot operated dip/main beam, which actually seemed quite a good idea. (Bit irrelevant now cars can decide - quite often rather late - when you need to dip the beam).

My new car has adaptive headlights that can dip a portion of the beam so that you have high beam on your side of the road but not in the face of incoming traffic ... bloody clever.

Mine goes one further than that. It's got megapixel resolution on the beam (the reflectors are arrays of microscopic mirrors) so it can draw boxes of dark around oncoming cars. It's bloody witchcraft, you get daymaker highbeam with little squares of black tracking the other cars.

Not sure who makes the system, several of the OEMs use it now under different brands.

Yeah that's what mine does it's brilliant.

[Potter]

I've just watched the latest Harrys Garage clip and he's with Gordon Murray, who is suggesting they're having a big rethink now because of the EU turnaround on ICEs, so that sublime Cosworth V12 might be around for a while longer yet.

[Yorick]

Who remembers the Cibie Z-Beam from the 70s. Was cool.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Who remembers the Cibie Z-Beam from the 70s. Was cool.

Only the yellow ones were cool

[mangocrazy]

Who remembers the Cibie Z-Beam from the 70s. Was cool.

I certainly do. In fact I have one for my LC and am debating whether to fit it, or keep it original. From memory the Cibie was way better than Yam OE. With a modern LED bulb it would be even better.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The Cibie is a lot better than the standard LC light, I had one with a concave lens

[mangocrazy]

The Cibie is a lot better than the standard LC light, I had one with a concave lens

Mine was/is standard convex I think. Back in a mo' - just checking...

[Horse]

Who remembers the Cibie Z-Beam from the 70s. Was cool.

Oh yes, superb. Fitted one to my 400Four - but had to use a headlamp shell from a Honda 750 to get the bigger diameter.

One of the mags did a comparison. The Z's dip beam was further than main on a Yam XS750!

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I'm not sure it was a Cibie lens, it came in one of my LCs, worked better than the headlight my previous LCs had and someone told me it was Cibie, it was yellow

[Horse]

The Cibie is a lot better than the standard LC light, I had one with a concave lens

Concave was \_ pattern
ZBeam had an extra 'drop' on the right, so it could be tilted higher without dazzling oncoming drivers.

[mangocrazy]

Yep, standard convex. It was Cibie 'kit 911 - Z180 Halogen conversion'. Also fitted various Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha models of the day according to the box.

[mangocrazy]

I believe that the Cibie Z beam range are still produced in France, but now branded as Valeo. I bought four of them for my Beta Spider and can switch hi/lo beam on all four units. High beam with four headlights is very impressive. And pisses off oncoming drivers a treat...

[ZRX61]

I believe that the Cibie Z beam range are still produced in France, but now branded as Valeo. I bought four of them for my Beta Spider and can switch hi/lo beam on all four units. High beam with four headlights is very impressive. And pisses off oncoming drivers a treat...

My F350 had a pair of 200W *manually switched reversing lights* under the rear bumper. The drivers side one pointed straight back & the PAX side one was angled to intercept the other beam about 40-50ft back. Worked great on tailgaters with their brights on. Most times I'd hear the screech from their tires as they stood on the brakes