rovermark

Are the camera-driven adapative LED headlights now allowed and present on the E-class, specifically for Canadian models?

The kind I am referring to as stated by the Globe and Mail: "you drive around all the time with high-beams, but all the people in front of you are selectively shadowed out of the beam. So the camera detects, say, three cars in front of you, three corresponding shadows are created in the beam so those drivers aren’t dazzled by high-beam glare".

This is different from the one that just turns off the high beams with ongoing traffic (or other lights) present on the E-class since 2009.

Also, why does not Mercedes not offer the speed limit detection here (the one that shows in your car what the speed limit is)? Volvo offers it in here on all their cars. It seems they are just being lazy, as they offer it is Europe.

Thanks

rediesel

My 2012 and 2014 have lighting packages (Autohighbeams 608 &bixenon w/active curvelight 615 cornering illumination 619). It just doesn't "turn on/off" the high beam with traffic there are several intermediate steps from low to high.

I understand your question as some newer models "CLS" "S" have MULTIBEAM active LED lights that can literally carve out areas to/not to illuminate. I don't think the US/Canada cars have this activated the same way European ones do. (Behave more like my old system than the new one in the video) Someone was trying to determine if it was as simple to turn on this feature as some STAR programming or if the European cars had different components too.

Alex.currie44

We share the same year and model so I suggest a good read in your manual on the system in your car. It is pretty clear how the system works. The camera detects oncoming light and also the tail lights of cars you are following out to about 400m in my experience and will drop the lights to low beam. All this other stuff to which you refer I have not read or heard about and may be on newer cars but not ours. Newer cars have LED lights and a whole bunch of system controls to go wrong. The newer cars from reading here and on other sites seem to have a lot of issues.

whaddaiknow

^+1
Also in Ontario, 2010 E350. The system seems to have only 2 positions - High beam ON or OFF, and nothing in-between.

rovermark

I know how the existing system works; the LED Intelligent light system is different in that you can drive on high-beams all the time. The adapative lights with the bi-xenon here turn only on and off only with nothing in between. It is even tricked to turning off if it detects an exterior building light or street lamp when I drive in rural countryside.

The LED Intelligent light system was not approved in the U.S. due to whatever, and Canada followed suit. The question is more whether with the 2015-2016 models it has finally been approved and available. It seems from the answers I have got that it has not.

Alex.currie44

Yes. With my stalk dipped to show the A for the adaptive system I find it sensitive to ambient light. On roads which are frequented by black tail deer which are smaller I find this system can be disadvantageous and rely on myself to dip the lights.

YYZ-E55

ILS is not available in North America thanks to the United States and their antiquated laws. Canadian requirements with respect to vehicles tend to follow US. I think that makes us worse.

It's not laziness on the part of MB.

ddeliber

Actually it is not just on and off. The system has up and down control via an "eye lid" like opening. If it detects a light source in the distance it will continuously close the eye lid just enough so that the line of light is just under the approaching light source. It is pretty cool and works well, but I agree, no where near as good or as "cool" as the full ILS or BMWs "No Dazzle" system.

Edit: This is based on my experience with a 2010 E, I don't know how it works in the US with the newer systems.

IMO the issue with "approval" of a more intelligent system is what is good enough. That leads to regulations and government agencies spending lots of money on what currently amounts to rich man toys. Probably not a wise political position to take. Sure there are better ways of doing it, but this is the US government so I won't hold my breath.

Live Oak

Exactly. On my 2011 E550, under the right circumstances, you can see the thing "adjust" the height of the beam as oncoming cars get closer. It uses a moving shutter inside the headlight assembly.

wanderfalke

The system works very well on two lane dark roads at night, worth every penny in fact.

Arrie

+1

rovermark

My comment with MB being lazy was with regard the the Road Sign or Speed Limit info system (Traffic Sign Assist); It cannot be due to government restrictions as Volvo is now offering this in Canada. It has been avaialble on the 212 since it's inception in Europe.

The adapative headlight system may have a lens effect in dipping the highbeam lights, but as soon as it detects an opposite headlight close enough, it will dip the high-beams to effectively an off-position. It does not gradually reduce the high-beams as the opposite car gets closer - that is what the ILS does.

Also, while it is fine system which I would still get, there are many instances I have come across where the system is fooled by a bright rural street light , or bright house lights. You cannot leave the lights on the high-beam position in those instances (manually select high-beams), unless you go into the Menu and turn the Adaptive Headlights off. ILS is the real breakthrough technology, this system is just a stop-gap measure.

petee1997

My 15 CLS has the LED with 36 lights on each side, same as Europe. The US has only 24 lights on each side because MB were too late for DOT approval. Secondly I don't think that lighting system is available on the E class. My wife has LED on her 15 E class but it is not like mine. It functions like the Xenon lights only with LED.

When I start my car in the garage you see the lights streaming from side to side. My wife's car does not do that and the light assembly is different.

ddeliber

If you turn the switch from auto to on the brights are on/off by the stalk. The detection only works in auto.

rovermark

Did not know that. Thanks.

rediesel

My 2012 and 2014 definitely do lower the beam incrementally as the car(s) gets closer until it is the low beam (you can watch the "illuminated horizon" drop as you approach and then rise up again) It is NOT all at once there are several steps if not a full gradient. (Now drop below ~35MPH and it goes low beam too which isn't useful to me)

The newer system can not only raise/lower the beam, but effectively block out specific areas.

Arrie

The adaptive lights work really well. On dark road the light adjusts to the back of the car in front of me keeping the light bean at about the plate in the back of this car. This goes to about 300 meters and after this the light stays the same unless the car in front of me goes like a full km or so away. On two lane roads it goes to low beam too easily on my opinion. The is also seen in the low beam Auto mode when the light already set to follow the long distance car ahead suddenly go much lower distance due to on
coming traffic.

DJ Hellfire

This is my favorite feature of the car. That and having the lights turn around corners is extremely helpful. Although in NJ, most of our roads are street lit and the auto highbeams rarely activate. But when they do, they work well. And I can confirm that there isn't just a simple On/Off to it. It does in fact have several different degrees of beam adjustment.

nycebo

Can't wait to check this out when I'm out of the city. Lows are always automatically on here because of all the cars and lights.

wanderfalke

Yes it can even light up the right side of road brighter and further.