NHman

I know the S4 comes standard with LED headlights. If it is the Matrix type, it should have the ability to enable/disable specific LEDs to maximize illumination but not at the expense of blinding other drivers. If so, I believe this feature is disabled at the factory since it is not DOT approved technology. The hardware is present but coding disables the "active" algorithm. Assuming my statements are correct, is there coding available to enable the full capability of the headlights? In DAP, there's a feature for auto high-beams. Is this required to support Matrix LEDs?

I am very familiar with this technology. My M4 has the LED headlights which have been coded to fully enable the anti-dazzle feature. Before coding, the LEDs were nice but not a significant improvement over the standard Xenons. Post coding, wow!

Talbot

It is really too bad the Imperial Feral Government can't spend their efforts "protecting" us from their crapily-maintained roadbeds instead of technology they haven't approved as "safe" for us.

JohnEnglish

Road maintanence is up to the state, they get federal funding for interstates. Blame your local state and municipal governments for not maintaining roads. Too many of of them are deferring maintanence because "low taxes!!!" is all they seem to understand.

The matrix LEDs are a different headlight front the "regular" LED headlights. You'd have to order the headlights from Europe and install them along with the correct coding. I believe they use the existing camera that's used for the high beam switch.

It's been discussed but I don't know of anyone who has done it.

Glisse

John English is correct, the matrix LED headlights themselves are not the same as the standard LED headlights. Whether your vehicle has the requisite supporting options, which according to the Audi Technology centre includes the camera, the GPS interface, and "other sensors", is another issue.

Audi do not fit matrix LED headlights as standard anywhere, including Germany. It is not a case of the USA getting the matrix LEDs with the function turned off due to legislation.

As an option upgrade over standard LED, it is not particularly expensive - ~$600. To buy the units as a replacement part, and do whatever else is needed to get them working, very expensive.

NHman

JohnEnglish and Glisse, thank you for your responses. I would've preferred the option for ordering or enabling the matrix LED headlights. Outside of the "cool" factor of the LED look, there's a slight benefit with increased lumens (vs. Xenon). But the best part of the technology is the shaping and varying degree of output. As stated in my original post, it works well in my M4. I believe MB has an option for their active lighting system at the C-class level. Perhaps Audi will offer it in the future for those in the US.

markcincinnati

When will the S4 get the laser headlights?

Glisse

Yes, Mercedes have a similar system in the C class, although I don't know how much of that gets through to USA cars.

The advanced systems, as I am sure you know, use a larger number of LED emitters, with a narrower beam as determined by the discrete reflectors used. This enables these individual (but overlapping) beams to be either blanked or dimmed as the system deems fit. I have it on my B9 S5, but all my night driving to date has been in urban environments, so to be honest I don't notice any difference. The most obvious benefit is that I just keep my lights set to Auto, and never have to touch any switch again - the system does everything itself.

My A7 had LED lights with the auto-dimming feature, but I found it too slow to react and never used it. The technology is improving all the time.

Talbot

Don't kid yourself. They (governments - Fed, State, County, City) are ALL in on it. We pay 18.4 cents/gallon in Federal gasoline tax. Sure, you're correct that the feds only fund the interstate infrastructure, but in my book that makes them responsible for the interstate road beds and bridges still being in crappy disorder. Handing off the money to another red-tape agency should NOT absolve them of the responsibility to make sure that the infrastructure is maintained.

Believe me, I've got plenty of blame to go around. This time I picked on the IFG specifically because it was topical to the DOT fiefdom.

wdimagineer

I did.

wdimagineer

Me and a few others were the ones who discovered the proper coding for the F8x cars. On US vehicles, the LED lamps use the DOT-approved beam pattern. For the real "wow" factor you'd need ECE lamps. The anti-dazzle can still blind other drivers.

As for Matrix, no. The standard LED lamps are different internally, including the beam pattern, color temperature, and lumen output on NAR housings.